Spinners keep India in command after Gill’s ton against West Indies

Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets collectively as India strengthened their position in the second Test by reducing West Indies to 140/4 in 43 overs, trailing by 378 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Shai Hope remained unbeaten on 31 to offer some resistance for the visitors after Jadeja (3-37) and Kuldeep (1-45) struck in tandem to trigger a collapse of the visitors from 87/1 to 107/4. While West Indies showed more grit than they did in Ahmedabad, their innings was punctuated by lapses in concentration - errors that have repeatedly cost them in this series.

India’s dominance in front of 15,700 spectators on day two was established by declaring a commanding first-innings total of 518/5. It was led by Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 129 – his tenth century in the format and fifth as the Indian captain, featuring 16 fours and two sixes, while Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a majestic 175. As the pitch begins to show signs of wear and tear, the hosts will aim to press home their advantage on day three.

The day began with a heartbreak for India as Jaiswal’s attempt at a third Test double hundred was cut short by a strange run-out in the second over. After driving a full ball to mid-off, Jaiswal set off for a quick single, but Gill had already called no. By then, Tagenarine Chanderpaul threw in a direct hit to the keeper’s end, and although Jaiswal desperately turned back after being more than halfway down the pitch, keeper Tevin Imlach quickly disturbed the stumps.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, promoted to number five with the aim of getting some game time by the Indian team management, survived a close lbw appeal on the second ball he faced from Jayden Seales, before square driving him for four.

Reddy had some luck again when he went hard on a drive and went just past second slip for four, even as Gill found boundaries easily through flicks, drives, and slashes, before reaching his fifty with a superbly timed flick through mid-wicket for four off Seales.

Luck was once again on Reddy’s side when, on 20, Anderson Philip dropped his catch at mid-off off Jomel Warrican’s bowling. Reddy then launched Warrican for two sixes and a four, even as a calm Gill received huge cheers from a lively weekend crowd by leaning into a half-volley from Greaves and driving through wide of mid-off for four, before thrashing him through the gap at extra cover for another boundary.

But Reddy fell seven runs short of his fifty when he attempted to clear Warrican with a slog sweep, but he holed out to long-on. With West Indies’ bowling being unthreatening, Gill swept Pierre for four, before Dhruv Jurel brought out his solid leg-side shots to secure quick boundaries.

Gill then effortlessly drove Chase for four, before reaching his fifth Test century as India’s captain in 177 balls with a fine cut through cover for three runs, earning warm applause from the eager crowd. After that, Gill shifted gears by smashing Chase for six, then sweeping and cutting to find his boundaries, even as Jurel was given a reprieve at 39. Jurel, who impressed with his ability to select lengths quickly, went for a pull shot on an overpitched ball from Chase but was bowled for six runs short of his fifty. As he walked off, Gill arrived too, as India declared in the middle of the second session and invited West Indies to bat out the remaining 43 overs of the day.

West Indies displayed early composure as John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul carefully negotiated Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s initial swing and low bounce under the afternoon sun.

Campbell looked promising, collecting two boundaries off Siraj and Jadeja with a leaning drive and a deft paddle sweep respectively. However, he was dismissed in a freak manner for eight runs, courtesy of a sharp take by B Sai Sudharsan at forward short leg - the ball coming off a sweep hit Sudharsan’s helmet and ensured it didn’t pop out of his hands.

Both Chanderpaul and Alick Athanaze appeared confident in defence, moving confidently either forward or backwards, and did not seem flustered even when four consecutive maidens were delivered. Athanaze enjoyed facing Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling, as he cut, lofted, swept, and reverse-swept him for a six and three fours.

The wrist-spinner almost trapped Chanderpaul lbw, but an inside edge saved him. With Chanderpaul hitting convincing boundaries off Ravindra Jadeja and Athanaze playing sweep and lap shots off Washington Sundar, the West Indies managed to secure their first fifty-run stand of the series.

Agencies