KOLKATA, India — Darren Sammy said West Indies will enter the two-Test series against India with the same positive mindset which has helped them to win their last six straight Tests.

The West Indies captain said playing India, particularly on their home soil, was a much tougher proposition than playing New Zealand, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, but he felt his side was more than capable of rising to the challenge.

The two sides meet in the first Test starting tomorrow at the historic Eden Gardens in this eastern Indian city.

“Looking at the tour match, the batsmen spent time in the middle which was very crucial for us in India, because we all know that we have to put runs on the board when playing here, and our bowlers got a good workout,” said Sammy.

“We have been practising hard and everyone looks ready and eager to start this series against India.”

Sammy said it will take time to judge the effectiveness of the team bonding session in the United States, but he has felt a different vibe in the team ever since.

“As a captain, what I see are players that are more relaxed and everybody going through their daily routine with little pressure,” he said.

“Even speaking to the coach and the rest of the management team, they have noticed a change. The players are just doing what’s required of them.”

West Indies have not won a Test series against a side rated higher on the International Cricket Council’s Test Ranking system for four years, and the last time

they won a Test against a higher ranked side was when they beat Pakistan two years ago in Guyana.

Sammy said this was something he would like to put to rest in India, but he was well aware that West Indies have not won on the subcontinent since Courtney Walsh’s side prevailed over Mohammad Azharuddin’s side by 243 runs almost two decades ago at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.

“Success is about winning,” he said. “We have not won a Test in India for a long time, but we drew a Test in Mumbai on our last visit, which was the first time in a long time that we had drawn a Test here.

“We are looking to go one step further and we believe that once we play to our full potential — with the experience we have now on this trip — we can.”

Sammy felt, however, the key to victory will be how West Indies combat India’s bevy of spin bowlers.

“Looking at the way teams like Australia and England have played in previous series here, spin played a major factor,” he said.

“We have not played the spin bowling well in our last few Tests, but once we can counteract their spin bowlers and put runs on the board — a good first innings total is always important in a Test (over 400) — and then we have to bowl well to restrict them and get a lead of over 100,” he noted.

Sammy said it was good to be playing Test matches again, following a heavy diet of one-day and Twenty20 matches over the last seven months.

West Indies’ previous Test against Zimbabwe finished on March 22 this year at Windsor Park in Roseau, and they won by an innings and 65 runs.

“These Tests and the remainder against New Zealand are very important, especially for players like Shiv, Shane, Kirk and others that only play Tests,” he said.

Sammy said the farewell for India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has energised the bowling unit with everyone seeking to have the privilege of being the bowler to snare him for the last time in Tests, but he hedged no bets on who it may be.

“All I know is that I will be part of that wicket,” he said.

Squads:

WEST INDIES (from): Darren Sammy (captain), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Narsingh Deonarine, Kirk Edwards, Chris Gayle, Veersammy Permaul, Kieron Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford, Chadwick Walton.

INDIA (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Murali Vijay, Umesh Yadav.