Confident that his team was capable of facing the Indian challenge, West Indian captain Brian Lara said they would make sure the visitors earn every single of the 17 wickets to win the ongoing second cricket Test.
"I am very confident that we would face the challenge well. We must make sure that India will have to earn every single of our 17 remaining wickets to win this Test," said Lara, himself dismissed for seven, as his side finished at a wobbly 65 for 3 in reply to India's 588 for 8 declared.
"The priority for our batsmen would be to bat for 90 overs on Monday. That is the one big challenge. If we could take the game to the fourth day, we would be in a good position in this Test."
Lara parried questions on his continuing poor form but admitted the pressure of the high total set by the Indians got to his men. He also admitted he read the pitch wrong, thereby including four fast bowlers, but he had to finally resort to his part-time spinners Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who bowled 39 overs between them.
"Looking at the pitch and the greenness, I felt there would be something for the faster bowlers. But it has not turned out that way.
"I would also praise the right-arm Indian medium-pacers and probably there is a lesson in it for Jerome Taylor and Corey Collymore," he said.
Mohammad Kaif, one of the men responsible for India's strong showing through his maiden century, said it would take a special effort by his team to win the Test from here.
"It still is a very good wicket and we would have to do very well in every session from now on. We realise in our dressing room that every wicket would have to be earned on this track. We have to be very patient.
"It's not the kind of wicket where you would get the opposition out in a session or so. You would have to really work hard and place imaginative field placings."
It has taken Kaif nearly seven years to score his first century, in his 11th Test, and he has had to earn every single bit of this success. No wonder, the marginal man of Indian cricket is refusing to take anything for granted.
"I wouldn't be expecting any favours about batting positions or those sort of things. I would be happy whenever I am given a chance to show my worth."
The middle-order batsman said the biggest thing he had learnt in his years of struggle was to understand what works the best for him.
"The biggest learning experience for me has been to know my game and play according to my strengths. I know now how to do my homework and prepare for my batting."
Kaif was very happy that he could score his first Test century away from home, in front of West Indian fans who are very passionate about the game.
"But I have been in good form on this tour and scored well in the one-dayers and side games as well."
About speculation if he would be selected or not in the playing 11, Kaif said, "You can't think about negative things like being selected or ignored."
