Dravid The Most Difficult Batsman To Bowl To: Edwards

KOLKATA: West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards on Saturday said veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid is the most difficult batsman to bowl to in international cricket.

"Dravid is probably the most difficult batsman (to bowl to). He's known all over the world as the 'Wall'. Back home, I've bowled against him and he's been very good up front. It's very hard to get him out," Edwards said.

The West Indies pacer said the plan in the opening Test in Delhi, which the visitors lost by five wicket, was to bowl as straight as possible.

"The ball was keeping low. The ball started reversing and I kept bowling as straight as possible and he got bowled. It was good for me," he said about him bowling out Dravid in the first Test.

Asked whether it was the best dismissal, he said: "I won't say that, but it was a good delivery...For me, my mindset doesn't change. I try to stay as attacking as possible. I just do what I have to do -- bowl fast."

The 29-year-old said the Windies' bowling department discusses about the batsmen's techniques individually in their team meetings.

"We have our team meetings and we try to chart a course, come up with a plan. We watch as much footage as we can -- for batsmen, whether to bowl straight or bowl outside or whatever. We try to stick to the plans."

Despite his short height, Edwards bowls at a pace that can unsettle any batsman and the diminutive West Indian fast bowler said, "I can do nothing about my height."

"Watching guys like Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Ian Bishop bowl -- all of them were six feet or probably taller than that. About me, I would loved to have had that height, but I am what I am I can't do anything about it."

Down 0-1 in the three-Test series, Edwards said it's been a learning curve for most of the boys in the series.

"It's (the team atmosphere) been great. We pushed the top Test team so far. We have a very young bunch of players here. For most of the guys this series will be a learning curve. See what Dravid and Sachin did with the bat in the second innings and hopefully we can learn quickly from that."

Edwards also said he bowled to aggressive Indian opener Virender Sehwag for the first time in a Test series.

"It will be my 50th Test (on Monday)... So hopefully we can do well and come up with a win and try our best in the third Test."

Edwards said he did not have any knowledge on the possible line-up for the second Test.

Posted in: Breaking News