With 171 runs in six Tests at an average of just under 16, Hope’s record till date is far from impressive but the 22-year-old has been in impressive form off late in the domestic circuit scoring two hundreds in his last three matches in the WICB Professional Cricket League four-day tournament.
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To add to that, the job of the Indians was made hard by an unlikely fifth day wicket of the Sabina Park that provided little assistance to the bowlers.
Starting the day 48-4 with a deficit of 256 just to make India bat again, the hosts finally dominated a day’s play after struggling in the previous four and the first Test.
But Chase and Jason Holder (64 not out) batted responsibly to share an unbroken partnership of 103 and thwart India. The batsman left shaking his head, but Chase made good on his promise, and duly reached his maiden Test hundred off 175 balls. Ajinkya Rahane face the average West Indian attack with absolute brilliance and took India’s lead ahead of 300. “It’s all nice to now sit and say when we should have declared and what if, but I thought we played really good cricket, we were dominant right throughout and today, you know the change in momentum happened and credit to the West Indian batsmen”. Mohammed Shami took both wickets, and has 2-25. In this interim, play did get under way and Ishant Sharma (1-19) bowled Rajendra Chandrika (1), the opener shouldering arms to an incoming short delivery that was deflected onto his stumps off his arm.
Earlier, West Indies reached 215/5 in their second innings at lunch.
Virat Kohli’s decision to introduce Ravichandran Ashwin: Despite Ashwin’s 5-wicket haul in first innings, he was introduced in 28th over.
“As I am 6’4 tall, I tend to get a lot of bounce”. The plan worked and Cheteshwar Pujara took a brilliant diving catch at forward short-leg in the 34th over to send back Blackwood.
Chase received excellent support from fellow 24-year-olds Jermaine Blackwood (63) and Shane Dowrich (74), who was unfortunate to be given out lbw to Amit Mishra, with replays showing he appeared to get a thick inside edge.
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The Indian bowling didn’t really trouble the duo as they brought up the 50-partnership off 82 balls, and the 200-mark came up for the West Indies in the 50th over. Marlon Samuels was comprehensively bowled by Shami with no addition to the total and off what proved to be the last delivery before the interval, Bravo failed to negotiate another lifting delivery angled into the body and Rahul held the catch at third slip to remove the left-hander for 20.
