1st Test, Day 3: India declare on 421/5 with 271-run lead against West Indies

ROSEAU (DOMINICA)—India declared their first innings on 421/5 in 152.2 overs, taking a 271-run lead in the first Test against West Indies at Windsor Park Stadium, here on Friday.

India’s declaration post lunch means that West Indies have an hour and nearly eight minutes to bat in the second session.

With the ball turning and bouncing, it will be a difficult prospect for the West Indies to make India bat again, especially when Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja come out to bowl.

In the second session, Virat Kohli was out for 76 off Rahkeem Cornwall when he tried to flick on backfoot through leg-side, but the extra bounce took a thick inside edge to leg slip. Ishan Kishan’s introduction in Test cricket was a mix of defending, leaving and being beaten twice.

Ravindra Jadeja raked in some boundaries through a cut and creamy cover drive for boundaries. After playing 19 balls, Kishan was finally off the mark in Test cricket with a flick off the hip for a single. As soon as he was off the mark, India declared with a 271-run lead on a pitch showing signals of quick deterioration.

Earlier, an impressive Yashasvi Jaiswal crossed 150 early in the first session. But the debutant fell for a massive 171 while Kohli made his 29th Test fifty as India continued to put West Indies under the pump.

Resuming from 312/2, Jaiswal brought out a beautiful shot early on, showing the full face of the bat for a delightful straight drive off Jason Holder for four, before reaching his 150 with a pulled single through deep backward square leg.

West Indies had a chance to send Kohli back to the pavilion if Kraigg Brathwaite at short cover off spinner Jomel Warrican. Kohli would flick Joseph for four, followed by Jaiswal crunching an upper cut over backward point to bring up the century of the partnership.

Jaiswal brought the shot of the session by dancing down the pitch to smash Warrican for a six straight down the ground. But in the next over, he fell to Joseph while trying to punch a fourth-stump delivery and nicked behind to wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva, bringing a fantastic debut Test knock to an end.

Jaiswal’s 171 is the highest score by an Indian on debut away from home, and is overall the third-highest score by an Indian batter in his first Test innings. He faced 387 balls, which is the longest innings played in terms of balls by an Indian batter on Test debut.

Rahane did not last long, spooning a simple catch to short cover off Kemar Roach as West Indies suddenly sensed a chance to come back in the match on a pitch slowing down. Shortly after, Kohli reached his fifty and Jadeja showed aggression by pulling Alick Athanaze with ease over deep mid-wicket for six.

After being mostly sedate and dealing in strike rotation, Kohli quickly shifted gears by flicking twice for fours off Athanaze and Brathwaite. He even brought out his trademark cover drive, while Jadeja picked another boundary through the pull as India reached 400 at the end of the first session full of attrition cricket, followed by a quick declaration in the second session.

Brief scores: West Indies 150 in 64.3 overs trail India 421/5 dec in 152.2 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 171, Rohit Sharma 103; Kemar Roach 1/50, Alick Athanaze 1/53) by 271 runs.