India 288 for 4 (Kohli 87*, Rohit 80, Jaiswal 57, Holder 1-30, Warrican 1-55) vs west indies
When India’s score was 153 runs for 2 wickets, Kohli came to bat and saw India falling to 182 runs for 4 wickets by tea. But Kohli defended resolutely, ran hard between the wickets and was prepared to wait for the loose balls. He took 21 balls to reach the target and continued to collect the ball in a slow but steady style. Ravindra JadejaHe also contributed 36 runs in an unbroken 106-run fifth-wicket partnership and India started the day the way they had: by playing a wicketless session.
The game in the morning session was not as competitive as the next two sessions. Rohit and Jaiswal ensured India progressed at around five runs an over early on and scored 121 runs in 26 overs without losing any wicket.
After showing remarkable composure on debut in Dominica, Jaiswal was out of the blocks on the more gentle Port-of-Spain track. Rohit too, despite the presence of two men in depth on the leg-side boundary, kept pulling the ball in the air along the wide lines as well as with his body. Rohit needed 72 balls to complete his half-century, while Jaiswal was out on just 49 balls. Rohit and Jaiswal became the first Indian opening pair to have consecutive century partnerships in Test cricket in this millennium. S Ramesh and Devang Gandhi were the last Indian opening pair to have back-to-back century partnerships. Against New Zealand in 1999.
West Indies then changed the mood and pace of the game by striking four times in the afternoon session. Jason Holder, who continued to pose a threat from Jaiswal’s outside edge, made the first cut when he had him caught by debutant Kirk McKenzie at Deepish Gully for 57 off 74 balls.
McKenzie would have reduced Jaiswal’s innings to 4 runs had he not let a thick outside edge burst through his hands at gully in the sixth over. Jaiswal could also have been out for 52 runs in the last over before lunch, but Alek Athanasz gave an easy chance to Holder at first slip.
Holder, however, consistently probed outside off, often with two gully fielders, and earned his reward in the second session, this time with McKenzie confidently taking a catch off Jaiswal.
Kemar Roach and jomel warrican After this, the wickets of Shubman Gill and Rohit were taken respectively. It was Shannon Gabriel who ended the afternoon session by sending Ajinkya Rahane cartwheeling off stump with a sharp inker. Gabriel, who returned to the playing eleven in place of one Ailing Rahkeem Cornwall could not pose much threat to India’s openers. His four-over morning innings cost West Indies 24 runs, but he bounced back in the afternoon and bowled even faster.
As the day progressed, Warrican was able to get grip and turn on the ball, but Kohli was at his best to stop it. Kohli refused to take any risks against the left-arm fingerspinner on the slow surface and simply tried to tire him out.
Alzarri Joseph, with long leg and deep square, targeted Kohli’s upper body with short balls from around the wicket, but Kohli blunted those too. Joseph’s extra bounce – or lack thereof – often caused Jadeja to lose his shape at the other end before finally being pulled out in the 70th over.
Kraigg Brathwaite then turned to Athanaz and his own part-time offspin, but West Indies could not separate Kohli and Jadeja on the first day.
