Pacers put India closer to victory

Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami rocked the West Indies line-up, taking four wickets apiece in the first innings.

Published : Jul 23, 2016 19:39 IST

After dominating with the bat for almost two days, the Indians skittled the West Indies on the third day.
After dominating with the bat for almost two days, the Indians skittled the West Indies on the third day.
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After dominating with the bat for almost two days, the Indians skittled the West Indies on the third day.

West Indies was 21 for one in its second innings, a deficit of 302 runs, after following on, in reply to India's first innings total of 566 for eight declared at stumps on the third day of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday.

Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami rocked the West Indies line-up, taking four wickets apiece in the first innings. Ishant Sharma struck in the first over of West Indies' second innings, getting rid of Kraig Brathwaite.

>SCORECARD AND BALL-BY-BALL DETAILS

 

Post lunch, it was an improved display by the Indian bowlers who looked to change their line and length from the morning. And the change could be seen almost immediately as Shami started proceedings after the break. He kept both Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels (1) guessing, inducing an edge off the latter in the 49th over.

>Read: Umesh Yadav says India planned to bowl lots of maiden overs

Four deliveries later, it became a double blow, as Jermaine Blackwood (0) was unable to fend off a sharp rising delivery and was caught at gully by Ajinkya Rahane. Thereafter a short partnership developed between Brathwaite and debutant Roston Chase (23) and they looked comfortable at the crease for the duration of their 47-run stand.

>Read: Shami revels in Test comeback

Brathwaite went on to score his ninth Test fifty off 156 deliveries, while the West Indies' 100-mark came up in the 51st over. Indian skipper Virat Kohli then went on the offensive and played around with his fielding combinations, putting in as many as five close-in catching positions for his pacers.

>Read: India bowled with a lot of discipline, says Brathwaite

The trick worked as Yadav broke through, first dismissing Chase who was caught at midwicket with Kohli doing the necessary catching himself. Two overs later, the same aggressive fielding worked as Brathwaite was forced to fend off a short delivery instead of pulling it, and edged behind to keeper Wriddhiman Saha, who affected his fifth dismissal of the innings.

Ravichandran Ashwin could have had a wicket too, towards the end of the session as Dowrich edged to Rahane at slip, but the ball was seen to have bounced on replay.

Earlier, West Indies reached 90/3 at lunch after Brathwaite had defied the Indian bowlers along with Devendra Bishoo (12). The duo put on 38 for the second wicket but more importantly frustrated the visitor by batting out 17.5 overs.

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