WI v Ind, 1st Test: Kohli, Rahane fifties move India into dominant position
Sunday, 25 August 2019 (11:16 IST)
North Sound: India stamped their authority on this first Test match on day three, an unbroken 104-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane helping India to a 260-run lead with seven wickets in hand.
The morning session probably belonged to West Indies. Resuming play on 189/8, Jason Holder farmed the strike well to keep Miguel Cummins safe. The pair ended up putting on a partnership of 41, to which Cummins contributed no runs. When Holder was dismissed by Mohammed Shami, Cummins decided to go on the attack, and was bowled by Jadeja with the first aggressive shot he played. A forty-five ball duck, the fifth-longest in Test history.
And a valuable one, it felt. West Indies put on 43 from their overnight score, dismissed for a double Nelson and trailing India by a manageable 75. A few early wickets and it’d be level pegging.
KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal did well to see off the new ball, and it was the spin of Roston Chase that did for both openers. First Agarwal, given out LBW missing a sweep shot. It seemed too plumb for a review, but Ball-tracker showed it missing the leg-stump - high and wide.
There was no doubt about Rahul’s wicket, though, as he went to paddle sweep a ball that kept a little low, and clattered into middle and leg stump.
Pujara departed in the next over to an absolute beauty from Kemar Roach, who bowled brilliantly all day and deserved more than his one wicket. What a rare sight it is to see Pujara cut in half, and clean bowled with the ball clipping the top of off-stump.
Tea was taken with India 98/3, and a sense that momentum was building in the home side’s camp, an ICC report said.
The evening session, however, saw the game taken away from them. Rahane rode his luck, he was dropped by John Campbell at cover on 14, and later survived a strong LBW appeal, both from the bowling of Roach. Holder decided not to review, suspecting an edge, but the two noises were both from the pad and three red lights came up on the stadium screen.
Kohli and Rahane ground out the session, against some underwhelming bowling from part-time spinners Brathwaite and Campbell. They closed the day on 185/3, a lead of 260, with the partnership standing at 104. It included just five boundaries. West Indies will need a bundle of quick wickets tomorrow morning if they’re to remain competitive in this one.
