West Indies’ Shannon Gabriel looks down after bowling a delivery to India’s batsman Wriddhiman Saha, left, during day two of their third cricket Test match at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St. Lucia, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.
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Both Saha and Ashwin once again looked sturdy and intent to play for time.
On day one, the West Indies won the toss and elected to field.
The Bengaluru lad, however, got caught in the short fine leg by Kraigg Brathwaite in the 20th over to a raising ball of Chase just after scoring his seventh half-century in Tests in 65 balls, with six boundaries. They have good batsmen to follow, batsmen who impressed in the second innings in Jamaica.
The late flurry took the gloss off what had been an encouraging day for West Indies after the hosts won the toss and chose to bowl.
The spinal cord of the Indian batting lineup Virat Kohli was dismissed at a score of three by a magical ball delivered by Azari Joseph, and it triggered the fall of Indian card palace.
Manager of the West Indies team Joel “Big Bird” Garner handed Alzari Joseph his first Test cap and his message must have been a stern one, as the young man ran in hard from the Southern End to rough up the Indians.
India (1st innings, o/n 234/5): K.L. Rahul c Brathwaite b Chase 50, S Dhawan c Dowrich b Gabriel 1, V Kohli c Bravo b Joseph 3, AM Rahane b Chase 35, RG Sharma c Dowrich b Joseph 9, R. Ashwin (batting) 99, WP Saha (batting) 93. Ashwin had spent 14 deliveries on 99*, but finally broke free and smacked Roston Chase (2-70) over midwicket for a six to reach his fourth Test hundred, off 265 balls, and indeed his fourth against the same opposition.
Earlier on Day 1, India was struggling till tea session with only 130 for 5 wickets on board.
Apart from introducing Joseph to Test cricket, the West Indies drafted in Leon Johnson at the top of the order for his first match in 19 months in place of the out-of-form Rajendra Chandrika.
Continuing from their rescue on the previous day, Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha hit a ton apiece to help India reach 353 on the second day of the third Test.
They will resume on the second morning with Ashwin on 75, in pursuit of his second century of the series, and Saha on 46.
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West Indies lacked objective and aggression in their effort on the second morning, in stark contrast to the opening session of the Test the previous day.
