India reaches 185-1 at lunch on Day 2 against West Indies

Notwithstanding the mid-innings wobble, India remain firmly in control with Ajinkya Rahane and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha unbeaten at the close and together with the rest of the batting will be seeking to play the West Indies completely out of the match on the third day.

Earlier, the hosts struck at stroke of lunch to leave India at 425/6 as the visitors extended their lead to 229 runs on day three.

5 can’t always play a pretty innings.

Offspinner Roston Chase dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (27), caught at short cover, and Kohli to return 2-91 and threw down the stumps with a direct hit at the non-striker’s end to run out Pujara.

By the time, Rahul was adjudged caught behind down leg-side off Shanon Gabriel (1/50), he had put India in driver’s seat.

Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was also impressive, making the ball turn sharply to cause plenty of trouble for the batsmen.

Light rain prompted a brief stoppage during the second session and more showers are forecast for Tuesday at Sabina Park, which might offer West Indies a lifeline as they try to avoid losing the first two tests in the four-match series.

“The only thing we can do is to come again tomorrow and work hard to get the wickets that we have to”. A feud between the players and the West Indies Cricket Board has led to most of the senior players playing only in the shorter formats.

The 400-mark had come up for India in the 141st over, as well as the lead crossed the 200-mark. Despite needing treatment for cramps a couple of times, Rahul kept going, his romance with batting powering his hunger to make the most of the combination of opportunity and good form.

Ishant Sharma removed Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo off successive deliveries in just his second over. I think they bowled really well from the first ball this morning, and they kept the pressure on us and didn’t give easy runs. “I just hope I can do even better in the second innings”. Gabriel was quick, and he was able to draw an edge off Pujara that fell about a meter short of second slip. On three other occasions, he beat the batsmen with his pace and bounce.

Rahul and Pujara started off cautiously adding to their overnight score of 126/1 slowly.

He skipped down the track to Chase and lofted the off spinner over mid on to bring up his century with a majestic six. In addition to his hundreds in Jamaica and Sydney, and his 108 against Sri Lanka in Colombo previous year, Rahul has posted scores of 3, 1, 16, 7, 5, 2, 2 and 2.

Right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami picked up his second wicket when Chase (10) drove and edged it to Shikhar Dhawan at slip off a ideal length ball.

Six overs later, Shane Dowrich (5) edged one behind from the toe-end of his bat, the batsman in half mind whether to leave or play at the ball.