Roston Chase’s unbeaten 98 and skipper Jason Holder’s half century helped propel the West Indies to 298/7 at the end of Day 1 of the second test at Hyderabad on Friday.
Hosts India made one change in their playing XI, bringing in Shardul Thakur in place of Mohammad Shami who was given a break.
However, the 27 year old suffered a groin injury and could bowl only 1.4 overs. That left the bulk of bowling to be done by India’s troika of spinners- Ravi Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, and their over rate was so good that the home side managed to bowl 95 overs instead of the usual 90.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the visitors made a solid beginning, as the opening pair of Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell added 32 runs for the first wicket before Ashwin broke through , getting Powell caught by Jadeja for 22 runs.
Powell’s opening partner Braithwaite was the first of Kuldeep’s three victims, falling LBW with the Windies score on 52.
Shai Hope looked good in his innings of 36 runs, before being dismissed leg before wicket to Umesh Yadav on the stroke of lunch.
Kuldeep struck twice early in the second session by claiming the wickets off Shimron Hetmyer and Sunil Ambris to leave the Windes in trouble at 113/5.
Chase and Shane Dowrich added 69 valuable runs before Umesh Yadav dismissed the wicket keeper Dowrich for a useful 30. The latter was originally given not out, with the ball appearing to go down leg, but the review proved otherwise.
Holder and Chase kept the Indian bowlers at bay for most of the final session by putting on 104 runs for the seventh wicket, before the skipper was dismissed by fast bowler Yadav, caught down the leg side by Rishabh Pant for a valuable 52.
Chase and Devendra Bishoo saw the day through without further damage.
West Indies (295/7 in 95 overs – Roston Chase 98* & Jason Holder 52) Kuldeep Yadav 3/74 & Umesh Yadav 3/83 at Stumps on Day 1.