Finance
B Sai Sudharsan and KL Rahul were unbeaten on 30 and 25 respectively as India finished day four of the second and final Test against the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday at 63/1 in 18 overs in a 121-run chase. Despite losing Yashasvi Jaiswal early on, Sudharsan and Rahul put India in a good position to win the match and complete a 2-0 series triumph with 58 runs on day five.
On a slow surface with some turn, Rahul and Sudharsan settled into a groove, controlling spin and pace with ease to ensure India suffered no further setbacks before stumps. While the target is modest, the events of day four reminded us that Test cricket rarely follows a script.
Signs of resistance appeared from a motivated West Indies when Justin Greaves and Jayden Seales batted out 25.2 overs for a 79-run last wicket stand, expanding the margin to 120, as the visitors scored 390 in 118.5 overs after being asked to follow on. Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav were India’s outstanding bowlers on a tough day of Test cricket, both picking up three wickets.
India’s decision to enforce the follow-on after bowling 81.5 overs in the first innings was a calculated gamble, but the West Indies reacted with grit and fight, something supporters had been waiting for.
John Campbell scored 115, his first Test century, Shai Hope ended an eight-year wait for a century, and Greaves and Seales’ last-wicket stand became their second-best partnership of the year in the longer format.
Jaiswal began India’s chase on a high note, scoring eight runs against Seales, including boundaries through cover and third man. However, Jaiswal attempted to hit a six off Jomel Warrican’s first ball, but failed to achieve the required elevation and holed out to long-on.
Rahul and Sudharsan then batted conservatively, scoring opportune boundaries to keep India’s necessary runs under 100. Sudharsan used spin from both ends to take on Khary Pierre, flicking and forcing him off his wrists for limits.
He greeted skipper Roston Chase with a luscious drive past wide mid-off for four, then edged an off-break past slip for another boundary. Rahul finally broke through, flicking Pierre for four with his flexible wrists, before he and Sudharsan walked off, retaining India in command of the series.
Previously, in the last session, Greaves and Seales continued to frustrate India, which began with only one slip in place and stretched out fields. Seales had two lives after Rahul and Dhruv Jurel missed crucial chances, even as Greaves hit 50.
India’s decision to bring back Bumrah paid off when Seales flicked straight to deep square leg to end a stubborn last-wicket stand and West Indies’ spirited innings, though it was inadequate to deny India from being on the doorstep of a comfortable win.
Brief Scores: India 518/5 decl. and 63/1 in 18 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 30 not out, KL Rahul 25 not out; Jomel Warrican 1-15) trail West Indies 248 and 390/10 in 118.5 overs (John Campbell 115, Shai Hope 103; Jasprit Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep Yadav 3-104) by 58 runs.
Source: IANS
