Yashasvi Jaiswal’s brilliant century and Virat Kohli’s composed batting display continued to steer India towards a commanding lead against West Indies in the first Test match at Windsor Park on Thursday.
At the close of Day 2, India built a total of 312/2, extending their lead to 162 runs with Jaiswal and Kohli unbeaten on 143(350)* and 36(96)* respectively. West Indies struggled to capitalize on the momentum they gained in the final overs of the second session.
The hosts made the decision to delay taking the new ball for 20 overs. When they eventually took it, Kemar Roach trapped Jaiswal LBW. However, the loss of two reviews on Kohli before Tea came back to haunt them. They had already used up all their reviews before they had the opportunity to challenge the on-field umpire’s decision.
Putting that incident aside, both batsmen looked comfortable for the majority of the session. They will now aim to further increase India’s lead, while the hosts will be keen to stage a comeback before the game slips away from their grasp.
In the second session, Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal continued their assault on the West Indies bowlers, just as they did in the first session of Day 2.
The young left-handed batter celebrated his debut Test century, while the Indian captain reached his 10th Test hundred moments later.
However, on the very next ball, Jaiswal’s moment of glory was cut short as Alick Athanaze claimed his maiden Test wicket. Shubman Gill (6) didn’t have the desired start at the number 3 spot, as a sharp catch by Athanaze at gully handed Jomel Warrican his first Test wicket.
Virat Kohli came in to ensure India didn’t lose any more wickets in the final overs of the second session. With a lead of 95 runs and 8 wickets remaining, India are in a strong position in the first Test.
In the first session, Rohit and Yashasvi achieved India’s first-run opening stand in 23 Test innings. Yashasvi made an impressive start to his Test career, scoring his first half-century on the second morning of the Dominica Test. He reached the milestone in 104 balls with a four off Alzarri Joseph.
Resuming their innings at 80/0 on Day 2, Rohit Sharma and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal kept the scoreboard ticking. The opening pair batted decisively and made the West Indies bowlers work hard, taking advantage of the excellent batting conditions.
Debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal reached his fifty soon after play resumed, while the Indian captain continued to accumulate runs. Both batsmen rotated the strike effectively, denying the Windies bowlers the chance to settle while punishing loose deliveries. Rohit was the aggressor, consistently hitting boundaries.
The Indian opening pair dominated the West Indies bowlers, scoring runs quickly. Alzarri Joseph bore the brunt of Rohit’s onslaught, conceding two boundaries and a maximum in one over.
Rohit displayed resilience and determination as he reached his fifty in the 38th over. India ended the session at 146/0, with Rohit (68*) and Yashasvi (62*) standing strong at the crease.
Brief Score: West Indies 150 (Alick Athanaze 47, Kraigg Brathwaite 20; Ravichandran Ashwin 5-60) vs India 312/2 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 143*, Rohit Sharma 103; Alick Athanaze 1-33).
