INDIA VS WEST INDIES, 1ST TEST
Ravindra Jadeja picked up a four-wicket haul in the second innings © AFP
Ravindra Jadeja (4-54), Mohammed Siraj (3-31) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-23) dismantled West Indies and wrapped up the Ahmedabad Test in a little over one session’s time on Saturday (October 4). India declared with an overnight lead of 286 runs, and 45.1 overs later, walked away with a win byan innings and 140 runs to kickstart their march towards another WTC final in emphatic style.
Bumrah and Siraj bowled probing lines from the very beginning. West Indies openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and John Campbell did well to keep the outside edge of their bats away from seaming deliveries, but a short one from Siraj came with the former’s name on it. Chanderpaul’s eyes lit up at the shortening of length and he did well to connect a pull shot. However, Nitish Reddy flew to his left from short square leg to pouch an excellent catch in the eighth over. Shubman Gill threw the ball to Ravindra Jadeja as early as the seventh over with favourable conditions, who came away with quick breakthroughs. Campbell flicked one into the hands of Sai Sudharsan at forward short leg and Brandon King, who drove well, ended up edging one that spun away from him. KL Rahul took a sharp, low catch at first slip to reduce West Indies to 34 for 3.
Dhruv Jurel kept reminding Kuldeep Yadav from behind the stumps that the spinner was tough for the batters to read. Roston Chase was the first to pay the price for the said inability. Kuldeep bowled two tossed up deliveries to the West Indies captain that turned 5.6 degrees and 4.9 degrees inwards. On the third one, Kuldeep bowled a touch quicker and pulled the length back. The turn was much lesser – 2.1 degrees, that Chase did not account for. He got squared up and had his off-stump floored.
While the bowlers posed tough questions, India continued to be excellent on the field too. Yashasvi Jaiswal grabbed a good, forward-diving catch at backward point to send Shai Hope packing, who edged a cut against Jadeja. Alick Athanaze and Justin Greaves dragged West Indies to 66 for 5 at Lunch.
Athanaze and Greaves brought better batting application after the break as India went with Bumrah and Washington Sundar. The offie eventually broke through when Athinaze looked to play him against the turn and edged one back to the bowler. Siraj then dismissed Greaves, trapping him leg before with a pinpoint yorker. Two balls later, Jomel Warrican tried to clear his front leg and hit big, but only lost his bat, and his wicket as the ball went only as far as Shubman Gill at mid-off.
Johan Layne threw his bat around briefly before Jadeja’s return ended his endeavours. He skied one straight to Siraj at mid-off. Jayden Seales too walked out swinging for the fences and got to 22 off 12 before hitting one straight back to Kuldeep.
Brief scores: West Indies 162 (Justin Greaves 32; Mohammed Siraj 4-40, Jasprit Bumrah 3-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-25) & 146 (Alick Athanaze 38; Ravindra Jadeja 4-54, Mohammed Siraj 3-31, Kuldeep Yadav 2-21) lost to India 448/5 decl. (Dhruv Jurel 125, Ravindra Jadeja 104*, KL Rahul 100, Shubman Gill 50; Roston Chase 2-90) by an innings & 140 runs
© Cricbuzz
