2nd Test: Jadeja, Kuldeep strike to reduce West Indies to 140/4, trail India by 378 runs: Gill hits 10th ton
New Delhi: Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav picked up four wickets collectively as India tightened their grip in the second Test by reducing West Indies to 140/4 in 43 overs at stumps on day two, trail 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, 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 was set up by a commanding first-innings total of 518/5 declared, led by Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 129 and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 175. With the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and India’s spin trio finding rhythm, the hosts will look to press home their advantage on day three.
The final session began with both Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul looking assured in defence, going right forward or right backwards, and they did not look flustered even during a spell of four consecutive maidens.
Athanaze took a liking to Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling by cutting, lofting, sweeping and reverse-sweeping him for a six and three fours. The wrist-spinner did come close to trapping Tagenarine Chanderpaul lbw, but an inside edge saved him. With Chanderpaul getting convincing boundaries off Ravindra Jadeja and Athanaze bringing sweep and lap shot off Washington Sundar, West Indies managed to get their first fifty stand of the series.
But Jadeja broke the 66-run stand with a delivery that stopped on Chanderpaul and took his edge to a juggling KL Rahul at first slip. Athanaze was next to fall, as he dragged a slower ball from Kuldeep to mid-wicket and fell for 41. Skipper Roston Chase was next to fall – looking to flick a length ball to leg-side, but gave a simple return catch to Jadeja.
Shai Hope kept fighting for the West Indies with his elegant drives to collect five boundaries in his first 38 balls. He and Tevin Imlach (14 not out) ensured that West Indies didn’t suffer another loss in the wickets column before the curtains came down on day two’s play, which again went in India’s favour.
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. Agencies
Scoreboard
India: 1st innings
Yashasvi Jaiswal run out (Imlach) 175
KL Rahul st Imlach b Warrican 38
Sai Sudharsan lbw b Warrican 87
*Shubman Gill not out 129
Nitish Reddy c Seales b Warrican 43
Dhruv Jurel b Chase 44
Extras: 2; Total: 518-5 dec (134.2)
FOW:Rahul (59-1, 17.3), Sudharsan (251-2, 68.3), Jaiswal (325-3, 91.2), Reddy (416-4, 108.3), Jurel (518-5, 134.2)
Bowling:
Jayden Seales 22 2 88 0
Anderson Phillip 17 2 71 0
Justin Greaves 14 1 58 0
Khary Pierre 30 2 120 0
Jomel Warrican 34 6 98 3
*Roston Chase 17.2 0 83 1
West Indies: 1st innings
John Campbell c Sudharsan b Jadeja 10
Tagenarine Chanderpaul c Rahul b Jadeja 34
Alick Athanaze c Jadeja b Kuldeep 41
Shai Hope not out 31
*Roston Chase c and b Jadeja 0
Tevin Imlach not out 14
Extras: 7; Total: 140-4 (43)
FOW: Campbell (21-1, 7.2), Chanderpaul (87-2, 27.3), Athanaze (106-3, 32.1), Chase (107-4, 33.3)
Bowling:
Jasprit Bumrah 6 2 18 0
Mohammed Siraj 4 0 9 0
Ravindra Jadeja 14 3 37 3
Kuldeep Yadav 12 3 45 1
Washington Sundar 7 1 23 0
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