Finance
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was dropped for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at The Oval, delivered a strong performance as his record-breaking five-wicket haul helped India bundle out hosts West Indies for a paltry 150 in their first innings in the series opener at Windsor Park here.
Ashwin took 5-60 in 24.3 overs, dismissing West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite (20), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (12), Alick Athanaze (47), Alzarri Joseph (4), and Jomel Warrican (1) as he swung things India’s way after the West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.
This was Ashwin’s 33rd five-wicket haul in a Test game, and he helped India establish a commanding lead in the first test.
It was an unusual day in recent times, as two Indian spinners ran the show in an away match on a wicket that looked like it was going to turn brown with patches of grass from the start. Ravindra Jadeja took 3-26 off 14 overs as India took control of the first Test of the two-match series.
India knocked 80 runs off the hosts’ score in 23 overs without losing a wicket as the visitors’ new-look opening duo of Yashasvi Jaiswal (40 batting) and skipper Rohit Sharma (30 batting) held the fort. With all ten wickets intact, India is now 70 runs behind the West Indies’ first-innings score with all 10 wickets intact and in a great position to post a massive total and take total control of the match.
Earlier, Alick Athanaze, a debuting left-handed hitter, showed some fight and was seeking to put a premium on his wicket before falling for 47 as India pocketed another session by reducing West Indies to 137/8 in 58 overs at Tea.
India took four more wickets in the second session, two of which were taken by Ravichandran Ashwin, while allowing only 69 runs. The visitors are now only two wickets away from bowling out the West Indies for a low total.
The hosts’ subpar batting performance was primarily due to some rash shot selection, including an assured, calm, and composed-looking Athanaze. Batters were dying when they tried to attack deliveries without enough patience, which left a lot to be desired.
Athanaze started the second session with a crisp shot on the rise for four off Ravindra Jadeja. But the left-arm spinner responded by straining Joshua da Silva for space on the cut with a straighter ball, and the additional bounce gave the edge behind to Ishan Kishan, who finished the catch on rebound.
Athanaze, on the other hand, continued to impress, hitting square off Thakur for four and then pulling Ashwin with conviction for another boundary. Jadeja came under attack as Athanaze first swept him through square leg and then Jason Holder whacked straight down the ground to take two fours.
When Athanaze got down on his knees and whacked Ashwin high over mid-wicket for six, the tiny home crowd erupted. Just as the West Indies’ 41-run partnership was getting out of difficulty, Mohammed Siraj’s short-ball patience was rewarded when Holder pulled straight to deep square leg.
When Alzarri Joseph miscued a slog to backward point, Ashwin returned to the bowling attack and took his third wicket. The dismissal also helped Ashwin secure his 700th international wicket, making him the third Indian bowler to do so after Anil Kumble (956) and Harbhajan Singh (711).
On three deliveries in the 55th over, the off-spinner held Athanaze under tight control, and on the final ball of the over, the left-hander tried to pull a short ball over midwicket. The ball, however, soared up and was easily collected by mid-on, leaving Athanaze three runs short of fifty in his Test debut.
Brief scores:
West Indies 150 all out in 64.3 overs (Alick Athanaze 47, Kraigg Brathwaite 20; Ravichandran Ashwin 5-60, Ravindra Jadeja 3-26) lead India 80 without loss in 23 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal batting 40, Rohit Sharma batting 30) by 70 runs.
Source:IANS
