Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddiman Saha looked like putting India in complete control in a 213-run stand for the sixth wicket but a collapse and some fine West Indies batting left the hosts 246 runs adrift with nine of their first innings wickets remaining.
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“First things first, we have to take it one day at a time and build on our position right now”. Dhawan gloved a lifting delivery from Gabriel to be caught down the leg-side by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and then Joseph made the vital breakthrough in just his third over in Test cricket, steepling bounce proving too hard for Kohli to negotiate as he fended a catch to Darren Bravo at first slip.
Joseph, who hails from Antigua, was a key figure in the West Indies’ victory at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year and has impressed in his limited domestic career so far, taking 24 wickets including two five-wicket hauls.
At close of play, West Indies have strongly started the reply by scoring 107 for the wicket of Johnson (23) who was run out.
India lead the four-match series 1-0.
India’s Wriddhiman Saha raises the bat to celebrate his half century during the second day of their first test cricket match against Sri Lanka in Galle, August 13, 2015.
In fact, three of the four Tests have ended without a result, with West Indies beating Bangladesh by 296 runs in 2014.
Brathwaite (53 not out) and Darren Bravo (18 not out) will carry the battle for the West Indies into the third morning seeking to match the determination and discipline of Ashwin and Saha in their record 213-run sixth-wicket stand that spanned nearly five hours.
Ashwin and wicketekeeper Wriddhiman Saha (93) added 82 runs in the morning session as India advanced to 316 for five in their first innings at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.
The Asian side who batted first failed to find the rhythm from the opening hours, and the surface in St. Louis literally tested the patience of Kohli and his boys. Thereafter Rahul reached his fifty off 64 deliveries, as Roston Chase (1-6) came on to bowl.
But the West Indies will take heart from the way they quickly wrapped up the tail.
They will resume on the second morning with Ashwin on 75, in pursuit of his second century of the series, and Saha on 46.
The only West Indies wicket to fall during the post lunch session was that of Shane Dowrch – a virtual gift by umpire Ian Gould to leg-spinner Amit Mishra.
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290 Average score on the first day in the four Tests in St Lucia before this match.
