IND vs WI, 2nd Test: Batters keep West Indies in contest against India on Day 3

IND vs WI, 2nd Test: West Indies ended Day Three at 229 for five, which left it trailing India by 209 runs. Caribbean skipper Kraigg Brathwaite starred for the home side with an attritional 75.

West Indies’ capitan Kraigg Brathwaite plays a shot against India on day three. | Photo Credit: Ricardo Mazalan/AP

West Indies dragged its way to 229 for five against India on a day of attritional cricket, constantly interrupted by rain, with the run rate barely floating over two in the second Test on Sunday at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Starting from an overnight score of 86 for one, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk McKenzie began with caution as they saw out the Indian bowlers in turn.

AS IT HAPPENED - INDIA vs WEST INDIES SECOND TEST DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS

McKenzie was the first to fall after he edged a Mukesh Kumar length ball to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and gifted the debutant pacer his first international wicket. Soon after the left-hander’s dismissal, it began to rain, causing the first rain-enforced break of the day.

Brathwaite was patience personified as he played out 235 balls to get to his 75. Only an out-of-ordinary ball by Ravichandran Ashwin - which drifted in like a frisbee and spun viciously to strike the stumps - could put an end to the West Indian batter’s vigil.

The Indian bowlers, who were shuffled around more in hope than vision by captain Rohit Sharma, found no assistance from a docile pitch. India did try to manufacture possibilities, by using left-armer Jaydev Unadkat over the wicket to create footmarks on the pitch for the spinners to extract bite. But the constant rain interruptions meant the spinners never got a long enough spell to take advantage of it.

The highlight of the day was a stunning catch taken by Ajinkya Rahane to dismiss a well-set Jermaine Blackwood. Ravindra Jadeja, operating from over the wicket, pitched one on middle and leg and spun it away from the batter.

SCORECARD | INDIA VS WEST INDIES SECOND TEST DAY 3

The ball kissed the outside edge of Blackwod’s bat, ricocheted off Kishan’s gloves, before going low onto Rahane’s left. The Indian vice-captain quickly readjusted his body to bring his left hand under to pluck the ball out of thin air.

Mohammed Siraj dismissed Joshua Da Silva with a late inswinger that went through his defence to give India the fifth and last wicket of the day before the game was stopped due to another rain interruption.

Alick Athanaze and Jason Holder played out the last hour with care as West Indies trailed by 209 runs with two days remaining.