West Indies cautious in reply to India’s massive first innings score, end play at 86/1 (Day 2, Stumps)

Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago], July 22 (ANI): West Indies made a cautious start in reply to India’s massive first innings total of 438 runs as they lost only one wicket during the final session of the second Test at Port of Spain on Saturday.

At the time of Stumps, WI was at 86/1, with Kirk Mckenzie (14) and Kraigg Braithwaite (37) unbeaten.

West Indies started their first innings in the final session of the day, with openers Kraigg Braithwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul taking to the field.

The duo started off in a conservative manner, hitting the first boundary in the sixth over.

At the end of 10 overs, WI was 22/0, with Chanderpaul (6) and Braithwaite (16) unbeaten.

In the next 10 overs, WI added 25 more runs to their total as they continued with their minimal risk approach.

WI touched the 50-run mark in 22 overs.

At the end of 30 overs, WI was 59/0, with Braithwaite (35) and Chanderpaul (22*) unbeaten.

It was Ravindra Jadeja who gave India their first breakthrough, dismissing Chanderpaul for 33, who edged the ball to short third man to Ravichandran Ashwin. WI was 71/1 at that point.

Kirk McKenzie was the next one up on the crease. He along with Braithwaite took Windies safely through the remainder of the innings.

Earlier, Virat Kohli’s landmark century in his 500th international match and fifties from skipper Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravichandran Ashwin helped India reach a massive total of 438 at the end of first innings and the second session of the day two during the ongoing second Test against West Indies on Friday.

India resumed the second session at 373/6 with Ishan Kishan (18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (6) unbeaten at the crease.

Jason Holder got his second wicket of the match, dismissing Kishan for 25. India was 393/7 at that point. Wicketkeeper Joshua de Silva took the catch.

India crossed the 400-run mark in 116.4 overs.

Jomel Warrican dismissed Jaydev Unadkat for just seven after he was stumped by the wicketkeeper. India was 416/8 at that point.

Ashwin brought up his 14th half-century in Tests.

Warrican got his third wicket of the match, dismissing Mohammed Siraj for zero. India was 426/9.

Kemar Roach took the last wicket and his third, dismissing Ashwin for a well-made 56 after clean bowling him. India was bundled out for 438 runs.

Warrican (3/89) was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies. Roach (3/104) and Holder (2/57) also were among the wickets for Windies.

Earlier, Virat Kohli’s first overseas ton since 2018 and Ravindra Jadeja’s half-century put India in a strong position against West Indies on the second day of the final Test on Friday.

At lunch on Day 2, India were 373-6 in 108 overs, with Ishan Kishan and Ravichandran Ashwin unbeaten with scores of 18* and 6* respectively.

Kohli resumed day two on 87 and went on to complete a flawless ton to take his tally of Test hundreds to the level with that of Sir Donald Bradman. Marking his 500th international appearance for India, Kohli looked in complete control throughout his innings.

Kohli’s knock of 121 also marked his second century in the Caribbean Islands. He went on to convert his first ton into a double hundred which came in 2016 in North Sound.

With 29 Test tons to his name, Kohli also went past Kane Williamson’s tally of 28 centuries and has the third-most Test hundreds among active cricketers after Steve Smith (32) and Joe Root (30).

Ravindra Jadeja stuck with the former Indian skipper and scored his 19th half-century. Just like Kohli, Jadeja took on the bowlers and punished them for bowling on wrong line and length.

Their 159-run partnership came to an end following Alzarri Joseph’s direct hit at the bowler’s end. Kohli was well short of the line and the set batter had to depart for a score of 121.

Jadeja was next to follow for a score of 61 after a couple of overs following a faint edge from Roach’s delivery. This was the final wicket of the first session as Ishan Kishan and Ravichandran Ashwin ensured there was no loss of any further wickets.

India are ahead in 1-0 ahead in the two-match series.

Brief Score: India: 438 (Virat Kohli 121, Rohit Sharma; Jomel Warrican 3/89) vs West Indies.