 | « Back to article | Print this article |
PHOTOS: India in command after Windies batting crumbles
India took a stranglehold over the West Indies on the opening day of the second Test at the Wankhede stadium on Thursday.
The West Indies were bowled out for a paltry 182 shortly before tea, and, at stumps, India were comfortably placed at 157 for 2 in reply.
Sachin Tendulkar, playing in his 200th and final Test, was unbeaten on 38. Giving him company was Cheteshwar Pujara on 34, the two having added 80 runs for the third wicket.
Put in to bat, the visitors never got going, and collapsed in the second session, losing eight wickets for just 89 runs.
Pragyan Ojha was the pick of the Indian bowlers, with figures of five for 40.
Earlier, India captain Mahendra Singh won the toss and elected to bowl.
His decision invited boos from the crowd at the Wankhede stadium.
As for the team list, India remained unchanged for the historic match, while the West Indies made two changes. The visiting team brought in Narsingh Deonarine and Shannon Gabriel to the playing XI.
Teams:
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Pragyan Ojha.
West Indies: Darren Sammy (capt), Chris Gayle, Kieran Powell, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dinesh Ramdin, Shane Shillingford, Narsingh Deonarine, Shannon Gabriel, Tino Best.
Sachin's final Test
Sachin Tendulkar is playing his 200th and final Test.
"To the disappointment of the fans, we will be bowling first," said Dhoni, after spinning a specially-minted coin to commemorate Tendulkar's farewell match.
BCCI president N Srinivasan accompanied the two captains to the toss and presented the coin, which had Tendulkar's image embossed on one side.
It was followed by a brief felicitation of the Master Blaster.
Shami provided India an early breakthrough
Mohammed Shami started off from where he left at the Eden Gardens, on his dream debut, as he bowled at a brisk pace, moving the ball away from the left hander. He did beat the bats of Chris Gayle and Kirean Powell before removing the big Jamaican with a well-crafted plan.
Having bowled a couple of full-length deliveries, Shami bowled one that kicked up from short of good length as Gayle got squared up in his bid to defend. The ball lobbed after taking a leading edge and Rohit Sharma completed the formalities at point.
Gayle's poor show in the series continued, having failed in both innings at Kolkata. He now has scores of 18, 33 and 11 from three innings of this ongoing Test series.
Powell looked confident at the crease
Opener Kieran Powell (48) began well, but couldn't build on his innings.
In fact, he was dismissed just when he looked to have settled down.
Darren Bravo looked in good touch during his brief innings of 29, helping Powell add 61 runs for the second wicket.
The Powell-Bravo partnership for the second wicket laid the foundation of the West Indies innings.
Bravo though was lucky to survive. He was in trouble as soon as he arrived, edging an away going delivery to first slip, but the ball dropped in front of Ravichandran Ashwin, who was manning the zone.
Ashwin completed 100 Test wickets
Ashwin had a forgettable start to the day, putting down Powell (then on 21) at first slip.
He didn't even start well with the ball, with both Bravo and Powell clearing the fence.
The bowler though had the last laugh, inducing an edge off Bravo's (29) blade with Dhoni doing the rest.
The offie returned to account for Deonarine (21) and Sammy (0) to finish with figures of three for 45.
Ashwin's third wicket helped him reach the 100 wickets mark, in only his 18th Test, the fifth fastest to do.
Ojha completed his sixth five-wicket haul
Pragyan Ojha grabbed a five-wicket haul.
The bowler effected all his breakthroughs after lunch.
The left-arm spinner first had Powell (48) caught by Shikhar Dhawan at short leg, before inducing at outside edge off the Marlon Samuels' (19) blade, Vijay taking an easy catch at slips.
The wickets of Shillingford (0), Best (0) and Gabriel (1) ensured Ojha his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests.
Chanderpaul made 25 in his 150th Test
Shivanarine Chanderpaul (25) began on an aggressive note, hitting a couple of boundaries and a six.
The 39-year-old is playing in his 150th Test match.
Chanderpaul and Samuels added 43 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter was dismissed.
However, the veteran didn't survive for long, Bhuvneshwar Kumar having him caught by Ashwin.
The West Indies collapsed as it had done in both the innings of the first Test.
Shillingford struck twice in his fourth over
The Indian openers started on an aggressive note.
Murali Vijay (43) and Shikhar Dhawan added 77 runs in under 14 overs, before Shane Shillingford struck twice in the space of three balls (in his fourth over).
Shillingford, who picked a five-wicket haul in the opening Test at Eden Gardens, first had Dhawan caught by Chanderpaul at deep square leg.
Having made the breakthrough against the run of play, the bowler struck again two balls later, having Vijay caught by Sammy.
Tendulkar came out to bat amid thunderous applause
The crowd erupted at the fall of Vijay's wicket.
They were waiting for this moment the whole day.
Sachin Tendulkar stepped out to bat amid thunderous applause.
The Master, playing on his home ground, didn't disappoint his fans. He started with two boundaries in a Shillingford over and was batting well in tandem with Cheteshwar Pujara, the two having put on a solid partnership for the third wicket, taking India to within 25 runs of the West Indies target.
The home team leads the two-match series following a comprehensive win in the opening Test at Eden Gardens last week.