West Indies batter John Campbell scored an unbeaten 87, showing fight after they’d been asked to follow on in the second Test against India
West Indies batter John Campbell scored an unbeaten 87, showing fight after they’d been asked to follow on in the second Test against India.
John Campbell scored a career-best 87 not out as West Indies battled on in their second innings of the second Test against India, despite the hosts enforcing the follow-on.
Campbell’s previous Test best had been 68 against New Zealand in 2020, and on a slow-turning pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, he came up with a timely knock.
It was West Indies’ best batting performance of the series — a wicketless session for the first time in two Tests — as they reached 2-173 off 49 overs at stumps.
Campbell had faced 145 deliveries, while Shai Hope reached 66no. The duo had put on 138 off 207 balls for their unbeaten third-wicket partnership, West Indies’ highest partnership for any wicket in seven Tests in 2025.
But West Indies still trail by 97 runs after they had been bowled out for 248 off 81.5 overs in the first innings earlier in the day.
India had scored 5-518 with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring 175, while skipper Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 129.
Kuldeep Yadav took 5-82 in 26.5 overs as the hosts gained a first-innings lead of 270.
“We started the day well, but the wicket is really good to bat on. There isn’t much pace off the surface, so we just tried to hit our lengths. The first innings was brilliant for me, but they batted really well in the second innings,” Yadav said.
Jayden Seales was last man out in the first innings for 13, out lbw to Yadav who picked up his fifth five-for in 15 Tests.
India enforced the follow-on despite batting-friendly conditions and the wicket offering slow turn. It showed with Jasprit Bumrah not coming on to bowl until the 33rd over of the second innings.
Mohammed Siraj had Tagenarine Chanderpual caught for 10, with a fine diving catch by skipper Gill, and then Washington Sundar bowled Alick Athanaze (7) on the stroke of tea with West Indies 2-35.
The final session saw fine resistance from the unbeaten duo as Campbell defied the bowlers with stoic defence mixed with aggression on loose deliveries.
Hope, who also batted well in the first innings, carried on his form as he hit a first half-century in 32 Test innings. He hit eight fours and two sixes in all, reaching 50 off 80 balls.
Campbell notched up Windies’ first half-century of the series off 69 balls and went on to hit nine fours and two sixes, with Indian bowlers looking tired towards the end.
The pair’s 100-run partnership came off 149 balls, after West Indies had lost four wickets in the morning.
Yadav took three wickets as the visitors sank to 6-163 after starting from their overnight 4-140. Hope (36) and Tevin Imlach (21) resisted, before the wrist spinner broke through.
Hope was bowled, while Imlach was lbw to Yadav. Yadav then added a third wicket of the morning when he trapped Justin Greaves lbw for 17. Siraj had bowled Jomel Warrican (1) as West Indies lost four wickets for 19 runs across seven overs.
India are one up in the two-match series, after winning the first Test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 140 runs. West Indies haven’t beaten India in their last 26 Tests, dating to 2002.
