The second day of the Test match between India and the West Indies witnessed some thrilling moments. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century on debut, while captain Rohit Sharma also achieved a significant milestone by scoring his 10th Test century. Yashasvi Jaiswal looked in complete control as the duo tore through the West Indies bowlers, leading the team to a commanding position with a score of 312/2 and a lead of 162 runs.
WINDIES TOO GOOD IN THE FIRST HOUR:
The day began with the West Indies’ veteran pace duo, Jason Holder and Kemar Roach, taking charge of the proceedings. They posed constant questions to the Indian openers by consistently bowling outside the off-stump channel, which kept the run rate in check. The spinners also found assistance in the pitch during the first session, with Rahkeem Cornwall troubling Yashasvi Jaiswal the most. Notably, Cornwall managed to turn the ball at an impressive angle of 5.4 degrees, the highest in the innings.
INDIA MAINTAIN MOMENTUM:
Despite the early challenges, Yashasvi Jaiswal showed great determination and resilience, reaching his maiden half-century with an excellent pull shot off Alzarri Joseph. Rohit Sharma also adopted a proactive approach after the drinks break, reaching his half-century as well.
However, the run rate was noticeably lower compared to the previous day due to the spinners’ effectiveness. Throughout the day, Rohit was seen guiding and advising the young Yashasvi Jaiswal whenever he played any loose strokes.
INDIA GAINS CONTROL BUT WITH SOME LUCK:
India gained control over the game, but not without a stroke of luck. Yashasvi Jaiswal attempted to accelerate the scoring rate at the start of the second session, but his aggressive shots were largely unsuccessful. Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, managed to chip in with some boundaries, benefiting from some fortunate miscues during Alzarri Joseph’s short-pitched deliveries. Rahkeem Cornwall found Rohit’s outside edge from the other end, but the ball fell short of the slip fielder.
YASHASVI JAISWAL CREATES HISTORY:
Yashasvi Jaiswal created history by reaching his maiden century & became the 17th Indian and the 3rd Indian opener to achieve this feat on debut.
ROHIT AND JAISWAL DOMINATE THE WINDIES BOWLERS:
The remarkable partnership between Rohit and Jaiswal continued to dominate the West Indies bowlers as Rohit reached his 10th Test century. The duo shared a record-breaking opening partnership of 229 runs, setting a strong foundation for India.
WEST INDIES MAKE A STRONG COMEBACK:
However, the West Indies made a strong comeback by claiming their first breakthrough when Rohit edged a delivery from Jomel Warrican to the keeper. India’s new number three, Shubman Gill, survived a scare as a poor throw from substitute fielder Akeem Jordan allowed him to stay in his crease comfortably.
However, luck was not on Shubman Gill’s side as he was dismissed shortly after, contributing only 6 runs. Virat Kohli, faced a close lbw shout on his very first delivery, but the ball was deemed to be going outside the leg stump. Kohli then inside-edged a delivery to the leg-gully fielder, but it fell just short.
BIZZARE TACTICS BY THE WEST INDIES
The West Indies employed some bizarre tactics in their search for wickets, wasting two reviews on Virat Kohli unnecessarily. They also surprised everyone by taking the new ball 20 overs late. Kemar Roach immediately made an impact with the new ball, trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal on the pads, but the West Indies had no reviews left to challenge the decision. Ball tracking technology confirmed that all three reds were hit, leaving Roach disappointed.
VIRAT KOHLI AND YASHASVI JAISWAL REGAIN DOMINANCE:
However, Kohli and Jaiswal regained dominance after that brief period of Windies momentum. They started anew and did not allow the West Indies bowlers to settle. Jaiswal, in particular, displayed great patience throughout his innings, facing 350 balls and carrying his bat until the end of the day. The partnership between Kohli and Jaiswal reached an unbeaten 72 runs, taking India’s total to 312/2 at the close of play, with a lead of 162 runs.
WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY:
Looking ahead to the next day, India, with 8 wickets in hand, will aim to maintain their dominance over the West Indies and bat them out of the match. Fans are eagerly anticipating the possibility of Jaiswal scoring his maiden double hundred, given his impressive form. On the other hand, the West Indies will need to replicate their strong performance from the morning session on the previous day and take a few crucial wickets to stay competitive in the match.