In a day where two debutants shone bright, India have established supremacy all but firmly in the first Test against West Indies, which is being played in Dominica’s Windsor Park. After bowling out the opposition for 150 runs on Wednesday, 12 June, India ended the day on 80/0.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, the prodigious 21-year-old opener who is making his debut, has looked promising, having scored 40 runs in 73 deliveries, without really giving the Caribbean bowlers any chance of getting back in the game.
The youngster has struck six boundaries, whilst his skipper, Rohit Sharma is unbeaten on 30 runs from 65 deliveries, with the help of three fours and a six. For West Indies, the two most experienced campaigners, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder have looked in decent rhythm, albeit none of their five bowlers have been among wickets so far.
Alick Athanaze Shows Promise
Earlier, West Indies’ batting order could offer hardly any resilience against the Indian bowlers, as they were bowled out for a meager score of 150 runs. Debutant left-handed batter, Alick Athanaze showed some resistance and was looking like putting a price on his wicket before falling for 47.
After picking four wickets in the first session, India picked four more wickets in the second session of the day, two of which were taken by Ravichandran Ashwin, while conceding only 69 runs. The last two wickets were scalped shortly into the third session, with Ashwin getting into the act again, alongside Ravindra Jadeja.
The hosts' below-par batting effort was caused mainly by some reckless shot selection, including of an assured, calm and composed looking Athanaze. The batters were perishing when trying to attack on deliveries without showing adequate patience, leaving a lot left to be desired.
An impressive Athanaze began the second session with a crisp drive on the up for four off Ravindra Jadeja. But the left-arm spinner bounced back by cramping Joshua da Silva for room on the cut with a straighter delivery and extra bounce took the edge behind to Ishan Kishan, who completed the catch on rebound.
But Athanaze continued to impress, driving square off Thakur for four, followed by pulling Ashwin with conviction for another boundary. Jadeja came under attack as Athanaze first swept him through square leg and then Jason Holder whacked straight down the ground to take two fours.
The sparse home crowd was left more delighted when Athanaze got down on his knees and swiped Ashwin high over mid-wicket for six. Just as the 41-run partnership was starting to bail West Indies out of trouble, Mohammed Siraj’s short-ball persistence was rewarded as Holder pulled straight to deep square leg.
Ashwin Gets Into History Books
Ashwin came back into the bowling attack and picked his third wicket when Alzarri Joseph miscued slog to backward point. The dismissal also helped Ashwin clinch his 700th scalp, making him the third Indian bowler to take most wickets in international cricket after Anil Kumble (956) and Harbhajan Singh (711).
The off-spinner had kept Athanaze in tight control on three deliveries in the 55th over and on the last ball of the over, the left-hander tried to pull a short ball over midwicket. But the ball went up and was caught easily by mid-on, leaving Athanaze three runs short of fifty on Test debut.
Following his dismissal, Rahkeem Cornwall tried to keep the scoreboard ticking, as he scored 19 runs, whilst setting up an 18-run ninth-wicket partnership with Kemar Roach. Although he remained unbeaten, Roach and Jomel Warrican scored one run apiece, calling curtains to West Indies’ innings.
(With inputs from IANS).
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