Chanderpaul's greatness goes beyond numbers

Shivnarine Chanderpaul made his Test debut in a team that had not lost a Test series for 14 years. Its bowling attack was the envy of the cricket world and its batsmen were experienced, seasoned professionals. The XI for the second Test of the 1993-94 Wisden Trophy included Desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson, Jimmy Adams, Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. Back then a tour to the West Indies was tougher than one to Australia and England.In the 21st century, West Indies have won one and lost 45 of their 62 away Tests, and won only four out of 20 home series against Test opponents other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Chanderpaul made 9185 Test runs at 55.7 in this period. Only Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakkara have done better. In the history of West Indies cricket, only Brian Lara made more runs. The West Indies top seven, including Chanderpaul, made 25,351 runs at an average of 32 in away Tests (excluding those in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) from the start of 2001. Excluding the runs contributed by Chanderpaul and Lara, who averaged 48 and 60 respectively, the rest of the top seven contributed 19,231 runs at 28.5! This means that the other five or six spots in the West Indies top order in these Tests have been occupied on average by a specialist Test batsman who averaged 28.5.Lara's is a recurring presence in Chanderpaul's story. In Chanderpaul's debut Test, Lara made an imperious 167 in less than five hours; Chanderpaul made a relatively cautious 62. In Antigualater in that series, Chanderpaul was at the other end when Lara went past Garfield Sobers' world record for the highest Test score. While Lara was in the West Indies side, Chanderpaul lived in his shadow, much like Rahul Dravid lived in Sachin Tendulkar's. What turned out to be Lara'sfinal Test, in November 2006 against Pakistan in Karachi, was Chanderpaul's 101st Test match. West Indies lost, Lara was dismissed for 49 in his final Test innings, and Chanderpaul played two fighting hands of 36 and 69 out of West Indian totals of 260 and 244.