The evening session can be said to be a shared one for India & West Indies. West Indies lost 3 wickets in the session, but Alick Athanaze & Tagenarine Chanderpaul got starts and showed a fight. Ravindra Jadeja was the destroyer in chief as he took two wickets in the session & Kuldeep Yadav took one. Ravindra Jadeja was quite economical as in his 14 overs, he conceded only 37 runs. West Indies are still trailing by 378 runs, and on Day 3, they have a mammoth task ahead of themselves.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul & Alick Athanaze showed some promise
Tagenarine Chanderpaul & Alick Athanaze’s hand-eye coordination was a treat to watch. The way they showed their defensive game plan was amazing. The spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav & Ravindra Jadeja had to work hard for the wickets. The ball was spinning massively & even the duo enticed batters by giving extra flight, but Tagenarine Chanderpaul & Alick Athanaze didn’t play any rash shots as the first hour of the session was quite good for visitors.
Just at the brink of the drinks break, Tagenarine Chanderpaul was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja as KL Rahul took a brilliant catch. Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s decision to take on Ravindra Jadeja backfired even when he had hit a six on the very first ball of the 28th over; we can say that there was no need to assert dominance, as all the hard work went to vain. West Indies’ score was 87-2 in 27.3 overs at that time.
Alick Athanaze was looking dangerous as he was using his feet and playing intrepid cricket. In the 32nd over, Kuldeep Yadav sent back Alick Athanzae as yet another batter threw his wicket after the start. Alick Athanaze had scored 41 runs in 84 balls, and West Indies’ score was 106-3 in 32.1 overs. There was a soft dismissal of Roston Chase in the 33rd over, who gave a simple regulation return catch to Ravindra Jadeja. West Indies’ score was 107-4 in 33.3 overs.
The visitors were reduced from 87-1 to 107-4. This has been the story of the West Indies throughout the series, as not a single batter has struck a ton. Ravindra Jadeja & Kuldeep Yadav, both of them were pumped up as they not only created havoc in the Caribbean dug out but made a statement that they can change the complexion of the match against the run of play. West Indies’ score at the end of Day 2 was 140-4.
Shai Hope was seen playing an aggressive brand of cricket. Shai Hope was unbeaten on 31 runs in 46 balls, and he is now the only hope for West Indies to take the score close to India’s & avoid follow-on. Washington Sundar didn’t get a long spell as Kuldeep Yadav & Ravindra Jadeja were quite disciplined in their line & lengths.
What lies ahead on Day 3 for India & West Indies
India would undoubtedly be the happier side at the end of Day 2′ play. At the same time, the West Indies scored at a decent run rate, which is a good sign for the Caribbean team. Washington Sundar perhaps might not get a long spell, given Ravindra Jadeja & Kuldeep Yadav are generating bounce and sharp turn. Wicket of Shai Hope will be the target of Shubman Gill’s brigade tomorrow.
West Indies’ batters need to make sure that they play out the morning session smartly. A wicket or two can inflict a dramatic collapse of the West Indies cricket team. If Shai Hope smashes a knock of 130+ or more than that, then West Indies will not only cut the possibility of follow-on but also make a comeback against all odds, but it seems unlikely to happen. Let’s see how Day 3 unfolds. Will we have a result tomorrow, or West Indies prove everyone wrong?
Also Read:Â IND vs WI: Shubman Gill Smashes Turbulent Ton