Notes on the first two days from Grenada
Da Silva's new spot, this pitch, and the difference in quality from day one to two
Joshua Da Silva
Trinidad and Tobago used Da Silva as an opener, and when he wasn't opening, he was up the order batting at five. He was rushed into this side partly because he's seen as a potential top batter. Wicket keepers don't usually bat that high, even in modern cricket.
Now clearly, and by his own admission, Da Silva's ability as a keeper is limited. But as a batter, we still don't know where he will end up, but he certainly started with a higher level.
We don't yet know what we have with him as a batter, but part of that is that his first class career basically was just starting as Covid took over. That means he was rushed into the team because of the dual problems that West Indies have struggled for a long time to find a batting keeper, and they haven't produced enough Test batters. Da Silva could have solved two of their problems.
He hasn't yet, but it's still early. But one of the interesting things is that he's batted at seven and eight for the Test team, something he probably never did in his life consistently before being selected. And when he bats at seven, he averages 37 at seven and 20 at eight.
Now, that was before this innings, in which he might change some of that.
But I think this is part of the problem, him trying to learn how to bat at first class cricket, and now Test cricket, and having twisted his batting positions. That is a lot to drop on a 23-year-old.
Clearly, he has some batting limitations; he plays spin well almost exclusively off the back foot and scores slow against it. Less than two runs an over. And so far in his career, he's struggled against the seamers. He is averaging 24 from it.
Bue he lines up well, and looks at least as talented. He doesn't even need to make a lot of runs, averaging 35 while being a sound defensive part of the lower middle order would be enough.
The problem is it might take a lot of patience for him to end up with an average safely over 30. And paired with his keeping errors, I wonder if there will be more pressure on him than there should be. I also get the feeling that if he starts to make runs, he'll be rushed back up the order. Causing new problems.
But for now, let's embrace the fact we have a new BJ Watling, not in average, but certainly in strike rate. A strike rate of 36 is wonderful.
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