North Sound, Aug 25 (UNI) India stamped their authority on this first Test match on day
three, an unbroken 104-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane helping
India to a 260-run lead with seven wickets in hand.
The morning session probably belonged to West Indies. Resuming play on 189/8,
Jason Holder farmed the strike well to keep Miguel Cummins safe. The pair ended up
putting on a partnership of 41, to which Cummins contributed no runs. When Holder
was dismissed by Mohammed Shami, Cummins decided to go on the attack, and was
bowled by Jadeja with the first aggressive shot he played. A forty-five ball duck, the
fifth-longest in Test history.
And a valuable one, it felt. West Indies put on 43 from their overnight score, dismissed
for a double Nelson and trailing India by a manageable 75. A few early wickets and it’d
be level pegging.
KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal did well to see off the new ball, and it was the spin of
Roston Chase that did for both openers. First Agarwal, given out LBW missing a sweep
shot. It seemed too plumb for a review, but Ball-tracker showed it missing the leg-stump
– high and wide.
There was no doubt about Rahul’s wicket, though, as he went to paddle sweep a ball
that kept a little low, and clattered into middle and leg stump.
Pujara departed in the next over to an absolute beauty from Kemar Roach, who bowled
brilliantly all day and deserved more than his one wicket. What a rare sight it is to see
Pujara cut in half, and clean bowled with the ball clipping the top of off-stump.
Tea was taken with India 98/3, and a sense that momentum was building in the home
side’s camp, an ICC report said.
The evening session, however, saw the game taken away from them. Rahane rode his
luck – he was dropped by John Campbell at cover on 14, and later survived a strong
LBW appeal, both from the bowling of Roach. Holder decided not to review, suspecting
an edge, but the two noises were both from the pad and three red lights came up on the
stadium screen.
Kohli and Rahane ground out the session, against some underwhelming bowling from
part-time spinners Brathwaite and Campbell. They closed the day on 185/3, a lead of 260,
with the partnership standing at 104. It included just five boundaries. West Indies will need
a bundle of quick wickets tomorrow morning if they’re to remain competitive in this one.
Brief score:
India - 297 & 185/3
West Indies - 222
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