Forced to follow-on after conceding a massive lead of 323, the hosts failed to cope up with intense pressure created by Ashwin and Co on a pitch that offered assistance to slow bowlers and bundled out for 231.
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He struck nine fluent boundaries in an unbeaten 39 in partnership with doughty opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika (22 not out off 84 balls), when showers swept across the ground to force the interval half-an-hour ahead of schedule.
But the gulf in class between the two sides was all too evident, and Shannon Gabriel was the last man out, bowled by Ashwin.
Day 4 at Antigua began with India striking early, Darren Bravo, facing Umesh Yadav, played away from the body and the edge was smartly taken by Ajinkya Rahane at gully. If we’re playing five batsmen, we wanted to deepen the order.
West Indies 2nd innings (following on): K Brathwaite lbw b Sharma 2, R Chandrika not out 9, D Bravo not out 10.
Then came the best moment for Ashwin, as a handsome delivery beat Samuels’ straight bat and knocked back his off-stump in the 42nd over.
And India have no intention of resting on their laurels, with in-form skipper Kohli saying afterwards: “If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not”. The duo played some attacking strokes and brought up the 200-mark going into the break.
Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.
The trick worked as Yadav broke through, first dismissing Chase who was caught at midwicket with Kohli doing the necessary catching himself.
The duo added 67 runs for the third wicket before Chandrika was controversially given out caught.
One West Indies batsman who could hold his head high was opener Kraigg Brathwaite.
Mohammed Shami (0-20) was soon introduced into the attack, and he was on the money straightaway. He kept both Brathwaite (74 runs) and Marlon Samuels (1) guessing, inducing an edge off the latter in the 49th over. He caught the ball but the umpires checked upstairs for a replay and replays didn’t prove conclusively that the catch was cleanly taken, and Samuels was given a life in the 25th over. He was on 16 at that time.
Meanwhile Ashwin, who recorded his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests, ran through the West Indies batting line-up after Samuels and Chandrika defied India in the first session. Virat gave me a long spell after lunch today and I was working on my rhythm with Anil bhai as well.
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In his next over Ashwin removed Jermaine Blackwood (0) and followed it up with the wickets of Samuels and Roston Chase (8)in the 42nd and 46th overs respectively, reducing West Indies to 106 for six.
