Both these tailenders batted with a large responsibility in the latter half after the lunch break, and they proved that they too have the mettle to handle the willow with perfection.
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The hosts got rid of the lower order with a barrage of short balls and Cummins said bowling short alone wasn’t the plan. The pitch had eased out, but Ashwin’s guard certainly hadn’t. They defended the ball with a lot of confidence and like the first day, exhausted the home team’s attack to then capitalise and score runs. India still had plenty of work to do, resuming on 234 for 5, and thankfully had two men at the crease with an appetite for hard work, the technique to execute and the discipline to take the game one ball at a time, on merit. Saha’s effort on the second morning was a repeat of his approach on the first day.
Saha was easily the more adventurous batsman on the day. To give a measure of Ashwin’s patience, he scored just one boundary before that the entire morning – a cut through gully that took him to 99.
Saha followed suit soon after, hitting a full toss from off-spinner Roston Chase wide of cover to pick up a couple and get his maiden Test century. Ashwin did enjoy the fortune of the courageous in this innings.
Saha however owned the hour before lunch. The two batted first cautiously and Rahane in his frustration attacked the wrong delivery.
“We are now looking to build on the score and looking to get a big first innings total, comeback and bowl stronger and learn a little bit from the West Indies bowlers and bowl with discipline”. Suddenly he had moved from 60 to 80 in the space of just 25 deliveries.
# Saha (31 years and 290 days) has become the first Indian wicketkeeper to post his maiden hundred at the age of 30 or more. That is a good enough score on the first day when we lost early wickets and considering the slow outfield. But India still hadn’t learnt their lesson. Instead of giving support to Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja tried to stand and deliver, managing only a thick edge to the wicket-keeper.
Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates after he scored a century against West Indies during his partnership with Wriddhiman Saha, left, during day two of their third cricket Test match at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St. Lucia. India’s bowling helped as well. The ball was still new, as Joseph and Shannon Gabriel started off proceedings. Skipper Jason Holder and Kraigg Brathwaite did not get any wicket.
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Leon Johnson and Kraigg Brathwaite presented the full face of the bat, punching neatly and defending with goal. This was the first fifty run opening partnership for the West Indies since December 2014, in some 14 Tests.
