West Indies captain Jason Holder had few complaints about the bowling but acknowledged major problems with his team’s batting.
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A draw loomed after the entire third day’s play was washed out, however, it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s artistic spell in the first innings that swung the way for the Indians.
West Indies was making a solid reply at 107 for one at stumps after centuries by Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha lifted India to a total of 353 on the second day of the third Test at the Darren Sammy National Stadium in St Lucia Wednesday. The 4th and final Test starts on August 18 in Trinidad and Tobago. The visitors also secured a 2-0 infallible lead in the four match series, thereby clinching the first test series for new head coach Anil Kumble.
West Indies’ batsmen were looking good with 3 for 202 before a batting collapse that put them in danger of losing the third Test. Thanks to Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s brilliance, taking 5 wickets in the innings upon his return.
“We did that over a period of three days, we got the momentum, we were dominating, but you don’t have control over the weather and conditions”. Maybe tomorrow morning we will discuss this and make a plan during the team meeting.
In the post-match presentation ceremony, Kohli seemed happy with his team’s performance, and said that the seven wickets they took in the post-lunch session on the fourth day changed the complexion of the match. India had found themselves with a better chance to take the game in Jamaica, only to be thwarted by a defiant West Indies middle-order. “So our mindset was such that we had to get them out quickly if we had to win the match”, said the medium pacer.
“In bowling we replaced Umesh [Yadav] with Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar] because we felt that since the ground is so good it would be easier to maintain the shine on the ball”.
“You are in a positive frame of mind. So obviously we have to see what they do tomorrow in terms of declaration”, Kraigg Brathwaite said. I am really glad people stepped up at the right times and did the job for us. “It is not necessary that you might get wickets, but it should not be that you are not prepared”, he added. Even Saha and Ashwin in the first innings, and that was probably the most important partnership in the series. “We will not wait for another match because you never know if you play one or two bad sessions the series could be leveled”, he said.
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The fielder was later hit on the helmet grille, to go with a hit at the back of the helmet on day two, but he was safe and continued fielding, as the 150-mark came up in the 63rd over.
