What unfolded at the Narendra Modi Stadium was nothing short of a cricketing masterclass, a display of sheer authority and artistry that left West Indies gasping for breath.India crushed the visitors by an innings and 140 runs in the opening Test, and at the heart of this annihilation was Ravindra Jadeja — a man who doesn’t just play cricket, he commands.India not only piled up a massive total of 448/5 declared but also produced a historic display of batting dominance, with three centuries in a single innings — a feat rarely witnessed in modern Test cricket. Jadeja (104 not out), KL Rahul (100) and Dhruv Jurel (125) ensured that West Indies were left chasing shadows, staring at a mountain of runs before they even faced the new ball in their second innings.
West Indies managed just 162 in their first innings, with Mohammed Siraj (4/40) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/42) wreaking havoc, sharing seven wickets between them, while Kuldeep Yadav (2/25) contributed by claiming two crucial scalps.From the very first ball he faced, Jadeja set the tone. His century was poetry in motion — a blend of patience, calculation, and flashes of audacious brilliance. He didn’t merely occupy the crease; he dictated terms. Each run was carved with precision, each shot measured yet daring — a delicate flick here, a sumptuous drive there, a reminder that even legends pause to admire such elegance.
Washington Sundar offered solid support, but the spotlight belonged to Jadeja, who carried India to a formidable 448/5 declared, leaving West Indies staring at a yawning 220-run deficit.And then came the bowling. If Jadeja’s bat had mesmerized, his spin in West Indies’ second innings was nothing short of surgical, tearing through the visitors’ lineup with precision and guile, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 54. Openers John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul barely had time to settle before succumbing, Campbell caught brilliantly by Sai Sudharsan.
Kuldeep (2/23) joined the carnage, bowling out Roston Chase for a solitary run, while Shai Hope’s reckless shot handed Yashasvi Jaiswal an easy catch. Even Brandon King, a seasoned campaigner, was undone by Jadeja’s subtle variations, edging a full delivery to KL Rahul. Resistance was met with ruthless precision.
Alick Athanaze (38) and Justin Greaves (25) tried to offer flickers of hope — reverse sweeps, elegant pulls, the odd audacious loft — but the Indian spinners were firmly in charge.Siraj’s (3/31) disciplined pace and immaculate line-and-length ensured that West Indies could not find rhythm. Fielding was top class, with Nitish Reddy diving to pluck a catch at square leg and Sai Sudharsan holding firm behind the stumps, turning half-chances into wickets and tightening the noose at every opportunity.
By lunch, West Indies were 66/5 in 27 overs, a position that spoke volumes about India’s dominance. Every wicket, every catch, every dot ball was a testament to strategic brilliance, mental toughness, and skillful execution. Jadeja, with bat, ball, and sheer cricketing intelligence, ensured India controlled every facet of the game.
This was a statement victory. India did not merely win; they asserted dominance, combining artistry and aggression in a way that left the opposition bewildered.West Indies now face an uphill battle to salvage pride, while India basks in a triumph that was as commanding as it was beautiful — a performance that will linger in memory as a showcase of Test cricket at its finest.(UNI)
