North Sound, Aug 24: India maintain their stranglehold over the West Indies with a healthy 75-run first innings lead, which swelled to 89 by lunch time on the third day of the opening cricket Test here today.
India bowled out West Indies for 222 in 74.2 overs in their first innings in reply to 297 with Ishant Sharma returning with best figures of 5 for 43.
Besides Ishant, Mohammed Shami (2/48) and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2/64) scalped two wickets a piece.
For West Indies, Roston Chase top-scored with 48, while skipper Jason Holder played a fighting 39-run knock as the hosts failed to build up partnerships.
At the opening break of the third day, India were 14 for no loss in their second innings with Mayank Agarwal batting on 8 and K L Rahul on 6.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 189 for eight, Holder and Miguel Cummins stuck together for 103 balls, forging a crucial 41-run partnership for the ninth wicket to take West Indies close to the Indian total.
Holder kept a calm head and guided his younger partner Cummins brilliantly to get as close as possible to the Indian total.
While Holder made 39 off 65 balls with the help of five boundaries, Cummins gave his skipper the right support from the other end by just staying at the crease although he couldn’t open his account.
Cummins’ determination to stay at the crease and give his skipper company can be gauged from the fact that he played 45 balls for no runs.
The Indian bowlers found it difficult to break the stubborn partnership between Holder and Cummins as they needed 85 balls in the opening session of the third day to dislodge the stand.
The partnership was finally broken when Holder edged a Mohammed Shami delivery to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant behind the stumps in the 74th over.
Left-arm spinner Jadeja finally drew curtains on West Indies innings when he cleaned up Cummins an over later. (PTI)
SCOREBOARD
India 1st innings: 297
West Indies 1st innings:
Carlos Brathwaite c & b Sharma 14
John Campbell b Mohammed Shami 23
Shamarah Brooks c Rahane b Jadeja 11
Darren Bravo lbw b Bumrah 18
Roston Chase c Rahul b Sharma 48
Shai Hope c Pant b Sharma 24
Shimron Hetmyer c & b Sharma 35
Jason Holder c Pant b Mohammed Shami 39
Kemar Roach c Kohli b Sharma 0
Miguel Cummins b Jadeja 0
Shannon Gabriel not out 2
Extras: (B-4, LB-1, NB-2, W-1) 8
Total: (all out in 74.2 overs) 222
Bowling: Ishant Sharma 17-5-43-5, Jasprit Bumrah 18-4-55-1, Mohammed Shami 17-3-48-2, Ravindra Jadeja 20.2-4-64-2, Hanuma Vihari 2-0-7-0.
India 2nd Innings:
Lokesh Rahul batting 6
Mayank Agarwal batting 8
Extras: 0
Total: (For no loss, 7 Overs) 14
Bowler: Kemar Roach 3-0-5-0, Shannon Gabriel 2-0-7-0, Roston Chase 1-1-0-0, Jason Holder 1-0-2-0.
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