Openers put India in driver’s seat

ROSEAU (DOMINICA): Debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal(62 batting) displayed great composure and admirable temperament with a well-compiled half-century as the India openers were in control, taking the score to 146 for no loss at lunch on the second day of the opening Test against the West Indies here on Thursday.

Skipper Rohit Sharma (68 batting) curbed his natural stroke-making instinct to reach his 15th half-century in Test cricket. The Windsor Park pitch got even slower on the second day with most of the deliveries stopping and coming onto the bat.

Only 66 runs were scored during the day’s first session as the visiting openers did not take any undue risks and batted in an unhurried manner against an insipid Caribbean attack that did not score much on potency quotient.

The two spinners – offie Rahkeem Cornwall (0/22) and left-arm orthodox Jomel Warrican (0/34) – bowled tight lines but did not produce many wicket-taking deliveries. The lack of pace off the track also made it easier for the India openers to defend.

Jaiswal, who started the day on 40, reached his half-century with the first boundary he struck on Thursday. It was a pull shot off pacer Alzarri Joseph, whose bowling lacked sting.

The old Dukes ball did not offer much reverse swing and Rohit’s flick off Joseph to get a six over mid-wicket was the best shot of the morning. The India captain also hit a square cut off Warrican and punched his full-toss through the covers after a quiet first hour.

With so much time left in the match, India is rightly aiming to bat West Indies out of the contest as it will get difficult to bat in the third innings on a worn-out track. On the opening day – Wednesday – India had bundled West Indies out for 150, thanks to spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (5/60) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/26)

BRIEF SCORES: West Indies 150 in 64.3 overs (A Athanaze 47, R Ashwin 5/60, R Jadeja 3/26) vs India 146/0 in 55 overs (Rohit 68*, Y Jaiswal 62*)