Ahmedabad: Vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja starred with figures of 4-54 as India wrapped up a dominant victory over West Indies by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. The win coming before tea break on day three gives India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and also marks a successful home Test captaincy debut for Shubman Gill.
India began the day by declaring with a lead of 286 runs, and that was enough on board to get a comprehensive win over the West Indies, who were quickly reduced to 46/5. Though Alick Athanaze (38) and Justin Greaves (25) offered brief resistance via a 46-run stand, it wasn’t surely enough as they were bowled out for 45.1 overs in their second innings.
West Indies’ batting lasting for just 89.2 overs across both innings is a stark reflection of their long-term struggles in the longest format. With their bowlers struggling to challenge India’s top order, West Indies face an uphill task to regroup and put up a better show in the second and final Test in New Delhi, starting on October 10.
Though Jadeja missed out on a five-wicket haul, he did have a memorable Test through an unbeaten 104. Dhruv Jurel’s maiden century and KL Rahul’s composed hundred laid the foundation for India’s massive first-innings total of 488/5 in a dominant Test for the hosts’, especially after suffering a 3-0 series loss to New Zealand at home last year.
After India’s declaration meant not opting to give Nitish Kumar Reddy a hit with the bat and instead push for a swift finish, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj set the tone with a probing new-ball spell. Siraj also produced a snorter to beat Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s edge before dismissing him with a short ball.
The wicket was also made possible due to Nitish’s athleticism at square leg – diving full stretch to pouch a stunning catch airborne – something which can become a viral Instagram reel in what was an exceptional day of catching for India.
Jadeja then took over to remove John Campbell with a ball that drifted in and took the outside edge via extra bounce to forward short leg. He followed it up with a clever change in flight to trap Brandon King, who had earlier driven him for four but was lured into a mistimed poke to slip.
Kuldeep chipped in with the dismissal of Roston Chase – beating him with a legbreak that didn’t turn before crashing into off-stump. Jadeja had his third wicket of the session when Shai Hope was undone by extra bounce on a backfoot cut and Yashasvi Jaiswal held on to a sharp chance at backward point.
Amidst the procession, young Alick Athanaze stood tall by showcasing his skill against spin with decisive footwork and calculated strokeplay. His reverse sweeps and cover drives led him to be unbeaten on 27 at lunch interval.
India resumed post-lunch proceedings with Bumrah and Washington Sundar operating in tandem, even as Greaves and Athanaze blended caution with calculated aggression to momentarily stall the hosts’ charge. Athanaze, in particular, again stood out for his composure against spin – picking the length early and using the crease well.
There was a brief moment of drama when Washington got one to grip and turn sharply, and trap Athanaze lbw. The on-field umpire ruled him out, but Athanaze managed to turn the decision in his favour as replays showed a big inside edge. Later, he passed a concussion test after being hit on the helmet by a well-directed bouncer from Bumrah.
Athanaze’s resistance ended when Sundar extracted sharp turn and grip after landing the ball on edge of the rough, forcing the batter to play against the turn. On seeing the leading edge, Sundar moved to his right to complete a simple caught and bowled dismissal.
Siraj struck in the next over when a yorker tailing back in trapped Greaves lbw for 25, before Jomel Warrican’s ultra-aggression saw him lose control of the bat and flew to square leg, even as he was caught tamely by mid-off. It was a dismissal that summed up the unraveling of the West Indies’ in this game.
Johann Layne and Khary Pierre offered brief resistance by striking five boundaries between themselves in an effort to delay the inevitable. But their defiance was short-lived as Jadeja had Layne holing out to deep mid-off, while Jayden Seales offered a simple return catch that bounced off Kuldeep’s chest and he grabbed it on the second attempt to wrap up a superb win for India inside three days.
Brief Scores: West Indies 162 and 146 in 45.1 overs (Alick Athanaze 38, Justin Greaves 25; Ravindra Jadeja 4-54, Mohammed Siraj 3-31) lost to India 448/5 dec in 128 overs (Dhruv Jurel 125, Ravindra Jadeja 104 not out; Roston Chase 2-90, Jayden Seales 1-53) by an innings and 140 runs
(IANS)
