Virat Kohli nearly reached a memorable hundred in his 500th international game after the West Indies put up a much-needed battle to limit India to 288 for four on stumps on day one of the second test here on Thursday. The opening duo of Rohit Sharma (80 from 143) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (57 from 74) shared a brisk 139-run stand to provide another perfect launching pad before the West Indies struck four times in the afternoon session to put the brakes on India’s scoring percentage. Kohli (87 at bats on 161) and Ravindra Jadeja (36 at bats at 84) played some superb strokes in the final session and saw India collect 106 runs in 33.2 overs without losing a wicket. A total of 84 overs were bowled on the opening day. Kohli, who came off the ground with a straight drive after consuming 20 scoops, will enter day two with just 14 runs short of his first hundred in an overseas test since December 2018.
The majority of his six boundaries came offside, including a perfect half-volley cover drive from Kemar Roach in the 57th over.
Jadeja was equally solid and matched Kohli when it came to piercing the field through the coverage area.
Kohli, who had to work extremely hard for his 76 on a slow pitch in the series opener, transferred his 30th Test fifty with a boundary from spinner Jomel Warrican in the 67th. Early in his innings, a relentless Roach tested Kohli with the fourth stump line, but the batter was able to fend off his probing spell.
In the afternoon session, the West Indies bowled with a plan and aim to strike four times, leaving India at 182 for four at tea.
The runs came thick and fast in the morning session, but dried up in the afternoon, with India making just 61 in 24.4 overs.
The batters that had to be ejected were Rohit, Jaiswal, Shubman Gill (10 out of 12) and Ajinkya Rahane (8 out of 36), who fell on the stroke of tea. The success with the ball was largely due to the discipline of the West Indies bowlers, something they lacked in the first session.
Jason Holder, who could have caught Jaiswal on first slip just before lunch, got rid of the talented southpaw by luring him into a sprawling driveway. The ball had flown over the gully fielder a few times in the morning, prompting the hosts to push the fielder back. The trick worked when Jaiswal misjudged the drive and debutant Kirk McKenzie took a sharp catch.
Next to leave was Gill, who had his second consecutive failure at his new batting position of number three. The seasoned Roach tested him around the stump and Gill finished with a good length ball back to the wicket-keeper.
Rohit, who looked extremely good in the middle, was swept away by a Warrican beauty.
The left arm spinner tossed one up and had it spin a shadow off the stump to cut the bail.
Rahane (8 out of 36) played on a slanted ball from Shannon Gabriel and his dismissal brought the tea break forward by two balls.
Earlier, Rohit and Jaiswal maintained their sublime form in the Caribbean to take India to 121 at lunch without loss.
Young Jaiswal and Rohit, who both scored hundreds in India’s dominant opening test win, looked poised for another epic partnership. The visitors scored with a run rate of 4.65 in 26 overs.
Jaiswal was dropped at first slip by Holder’s Alick Athanaze on the penultimate ball of the session.
The game also marks the 100th Test between the two teams and captains from both India and the West Indies were presented with a special memento by legend Brian Lara to commemorate the occasion before the start of the game.
India liked the spinning field in Dominica very much and a livelier circuit was expected at Queen’s Park Oval, but the curator decided not to leave any grass on the surface.
The West Indies pacemakers were unable to create enough chances after their captain Kraigg Brathwaite put the opponent to bat with the intention of taking advantage of the early morning moisture on the pitch.
The pacemakers opted to use the short ball against the Indian openers early on, but the move backfired. Rohit first unleashed his signature pull-off Roach for the first six of the match before Jaiswal pulled Joseph away for another maximum.
The India skipper completed his half-century with a six on Roach in the 19th. It was another shot from the captain that went all the way.
Jaiswal, on the other hand, was quick to cut everything wide and picked up the pace towards the end of the session. He spent his fifty with a driveway from Alzarri Joseph.
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