Rahul posts century but India crawl

KINGSTON: Opening batsman Lokesh Rahul posted his third Test century as India crawled through the opening session of day two of the second Test against West Indies at Kingston’s Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday.

Rahul was unbeaten on 107 at lunch as India advanced to 185 for the loss of one wicket in their first innings, trailing West Indies by just 11 runs with nine wickets in hand.

India added only 59 runs from 26 overs during the session as number three Cheteshwar Pujara weighed anchor. He took an hour to add to his overnight score, before creeping to 37 from 131 balls.

Rahul was rather attacking by comparison, his 107 coming from 199 balls.

He completed his century in style just before lunch when he hoisted off-spinner Roston Chase over long-on for six.

The cautious batting was dull to watch, but time is on India’s side with nearly four days remaining and the plan clearly is to grind out a big lead, no matter how long it takes.

The West Indies bowling was disciplined, but it rarely troubled the batsmen.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has been the pick of the attack, but has been used most sparingly by captain Jason Holder.

Gabriel has conceded just 21 runs from 11 overs.

Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has been used even less frequently, sending down just six overs for 19 runs.

On Saturday’s opening day, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged his 18th five-wicket haul as India dominated play after West Indies surprisingly chose to bat first.

Ashwin continued his brilliant form, taking 5-52 as India bowled out West Indies in less than 53 overs.

Ashwin’s performance, hot on the heels of a century in the first Test in Antigua where he also took 7-83 in the second innings in a big India victory, reaffirmed his reputation as arguably the world’s best all-rounder.

“I’m very happy for today. A first-day five-wicket haul is obviously something a spinner will cherish,” Ashwin said. “I thought the ball came out really well and I just took off from the last game where I left off.”

Ashwin revealed a keen tactical mind, saying he analyses all of his batting opponents and tries to plot not only the best way to dismiss them, but also how to keep them from scoring freely.

“I see the situation of the game, pretty much plan to a batsman’s strength and try to see how I can cut the runs and the strong points of opposition batsmen. For example, Jermaine Blackwood really plays well through the off side.”

He was referring to West Indies No 5 batsman five Blackwood, who top-scored with a run-a-ball 62 that included four sixes and seven fours.

Blackwood was adjudged leg before wicket to Ashwin, but the bowler most savoured the departure of number four Marlon Samuels, who scored an obdurate 37 and shared a fourth-wicket stand of 81 with Blackwood.

Samuels hoisted Ashwin for six in the 30th over but was dismissed the very next ball, caught bat-pad at short leg.

“I was really pleased, having been hit for six, I still had the courage to throw it up there,” Ashwin said.

Earlier, paceman Ishant Sharma greased the wheels by picking up two early wickets with a devastating opening spell of seam bowling.

The home side lost their first three wickets for only seven runs.

Local man Blackwood, under pressure to justify his spot in the team after a pair in the first Test, decided attack was the best form of defence.

“That’s me naturally. I’m very aggressive,” he said. “The ball was doing a bit, the bowlers were bowling pretty good so I just [wanted to] put them under some pressure.”

That he did, but without much help the West Indies were in a very big hole by the day’s end.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

K.C. Brathwaite c Pujara b Sharma 1 R. Chandrika c Rahul b Shami 5 D.M. Bravo c Kohli b Sharma 0 M.N. Samuels c Rahul b Ashwin 37 J. Blackwood lbw b Ashwin 62 R.L. Chase c Dhawan b Shami 10 S.O. Dowrich c Saha b Ashwin 5 J.O. Holder c Rahul b Ashwin 13 D. Bishoo c Dhawan b Ashwin 12 M.L. Cummins not out 24 S.T. Gabriel c Kohli b Mishra 15

EXTRAS (W-2, NB-10) 12

TOTAL (all out, 52.3 overs) 196

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-4, 3-7, 4-88, 5-115, 6-127, 7-131, 8-151, 9-158.

BOWLING: Sharma 10-1-53-2 (7nb); Mohammed Shami 10-3-23-2 (1nb, 1w); Ashwin 16-2-52-5; Yadav 6-1-30-0 (1w); Mishra 10.3-3-38-1 (2nb).

INDIA (1st Innings, overnight 126-1):

K.L. Rahul not out 107 S. Dhawan c Bravo b Chase 27 C.A. Pujara not out 37

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-1, NB-5) 14

TOTAL (for one wkt, 63 overs) 185

FALL OF WKT: 1-87.

TO BAT: V. Kohli, A.M. Rahane, R. Ashwin, W.P. Saha, A. Mishra, Mohammed Shami, I. Sharma, U.T. Yadav.

BOWLING (to-date): Gabriel 11-3-11-0 (3nb); Cummins 12-1-44-0; Holder 14-6-31-0 (1nb); Chase 16-2-52-1; Bishoo 6-0-19-0; Brathwaite 4-0-9-0.

UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and I.J. Gould (England).