The 22-year-old Barbadian has been recalled into the squad following Chandrika’s barren run of form in the two Tests at Antigua and Jamaica, where he managed an aggregate of 53 runs across four innings. The duo added 93 runs for the fifth wicket and that set the tone for West Indies’ resistance. “When you lose a Test and behind in the second, it takes something special to save the match”, Kohli said at the post match presentation ceremony.
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Chase joined three illustrious West Indies names – Sir Garfiled Sobers, Collie Smith and Dennis Atkinson – on the list of Caribbean players, who achieved the feat in the past.
Shai Hope, the right-hand opening batsman who made an unbeaten 118 for a WICB President’s XI in a two-day warm-up game against the visiting Indians last month, has been drafted into the West Indies squad announced on Thursday (August 4) for the third Test beginning in Gros Islet on August 9. West Indies went into lunch at 215 for five.
Beginning the afternoon session on 215-5, batsman Shane Dowrich passed 50 before being dismissed for 74 by spinner Amit Mishra.
Rain played hide and seek at Sabina Park as the hosts lost four wickets by lunch with only 15.5 overs being bowled.
Blackwood displayed excellent technique with a series of classic straight drives that offered evidence of why he kept his place in the team despite a pair in the first test. The formerbowled a bit wider outside of the off-stump in a bid to keep things tight, while Yadav used the short-ball approach against him.
Earlier in the match, Chase also picked a five-wicket haul and capped off a memorable draw for West Indies with his century.
However, they rebounded strongly in the second Test here to pull off a draw, batting the entire final day to amass 388 for six, when they seemed poised to slide to another innings defeat. The plan worked and Cheteshwar Pujara took a brilliant diving catch at forward short-leg in the 34th over to send back Blackwood. Blackwood’s explosive knock composed of nine fours and two sixes. Not that the Indians were bowling badly, but this was a completely different West Indies side they were facing, compared to the first innings, in which they were bowled out for 196.
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India coach Anil Kumble has high praise for fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who has returned to Test cricket last month after a gap of a year and a half.
