Rampant India crushes West Indies to win first Test by innings and 140 runs

AHMEDABAD: Vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja, India’s most valuable player in red ball cricket displayed his all-round credentials capping his unbeaten hundred with a four-wicket haul as the host crushed West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the first Test to take 1-0 lead.

Trailing by a huge 286 runs after India declared on its overnight score of 448 for 5, West Indies performed even worse in its second essay being bowled out for 146 in 45.1 overs. Jadeja was pick of the bowlers with 4 for 54 in the second innings.

The second Test will be played in New Delhi from October 10-14.

“Honestly, I think this was the perfect game for us. Three centuries, and we fielded really well so no complaints,” skipper Shubman Gill said at post-match presentation ceremony.

With the outcome of the match and the series tilted heavily in favour of the formidable host, India outclassed the struggling West Indies in all facets on a track that behaved differently on all three days.

If it was a lively track assisting pacers on Day One exploited to the tilt by Mohammed Siraj (4/40 and 3/31) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/42), the pitch offered a little to bowlers on Day Two as batters made merry.

By the end of it, India, which had amassed a lead big enough to impose an innings defeat on the troubled visitor, ensured there was no change to the script for the huge win in the first of its four home Tests this season.

Opener KL Rahul (100) ended his nine-year-long century drought at home, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel (125) notched his maiden Test ton and Jadeja (104 not out) stretched his purple patch with the bat as India flexed batting muscle, condemning the West Indies for the hard grind to take wickets.

On Day Three, hoping to extract some assistance early in the morning India declared at its overnight total but it was the Jadeja-led Indian spinners who exploited the grip off the surface and rough patches to ran riot.

While Nitish Reddy’s athleticism handed Siraj the first wicket among pacers, it was Jadeja (4/54) who followed up his unbeaten ton with a three-wicket burst to initiate a swift end to West Indies’ plight, reducing it to 66/5 at lunch.

In fact, Jadeja, with his century and a four-for in the second innings, narrowly missed the feat of hitting a ton and taking a five-for in a Test, which he has done twice in the past.

Siraj then produced a two-wicket over post lunch dismissing Justin Greaves (25) and Jomel Warrican (0), shortly after Washington Sundar (1/18) caught-and-bowled the last of the recognised batters, Alick Athanaze, who batted well for his 38.

Brief scores: West Indies 162 & 146 in 45.1 overs (R Jadeja 4/54, Md Siraj 3/31) lost to India 448/5 decl.