India take control on opening day of first Test

AHMEDABAD, India (CMC):

India’s fast-bowling pair of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah tore through the West Indies’ batting to put the home side in the ascendancy after the opening day of the first Test here yesterday.

Siraj carved up the top order on his way to a four-wicket haul, while Bumrah cleaned up the tail as the visitors were routed for a meagre 162 runs in 44.1 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Opener KL Rahul then scored an unbeaten half-century to propel India to 121 for two at the close of play, just 41 runs behind the Windies’ total with eight wickets in hand.

While much of the talk before the start of the series focused on the loss of the visitors’ fast-bowling duo of Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph to injuries, once again it was the West Indies’ fragile batting that took centrestage on the opening day.

Their new-look opening pair of John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul didn’t last long, with the latter being dismissed for a duck after gloving Siraj down the leg side where wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel took a good catch with 12 runs on the board.

Campbell hit Bumrah for two boundaries in the day’s third over, but the pacer got his revenge when he had the left-hander caught behind for eight after a review, with the replay showing the ball had taken a thin outside edge on its way through to the keeper, to leave the visitors 20 for two.

Brandon King, as usual, looked sublime in his brief stay at the crease, but after collecting three boundaries off Siraj in his knock of 13 off 15 balls, he unwisely chose to shoulder arms to an inswinger from the same bowler and lost his middle stump, as the Windies slid to 39 for three.

Three runs later, Siraj was back in the thick of things, this time drawing an expansive drive from Alick Athanaze that flew off the outside edge and safely into the hands of Rahul at second slip.

Skipper Roston Chase and Shai Hope tried their best to steady the innings during a 48-run partnership.

The pair looked set to take their side to lunch without any further losses, but with just a few balls remaining before the interval, Hope missed his intended cover drive off left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and was bowled for 26, to see the West Indies stumble to lunch at 90 for five.

Chase didn’t last long after the resumption, edging a beautiful delivery from Siraj that seamed away behind to the keeper, to be out for 24.

Justin Greaves, who topscored with 32 and debutant Khary Pierre, who made 11, put on 39 runs for the seventh wicket, but once Pierre was trapped leg before wicket by off-spinner Washington Sundar. The end came swiftly with Bumrah bowling Greaves and Johann Layne with yorkers, while Yadav accounted for the wicket of Jomel Warrican.

Siraj ended with figures of 4-40, Bumrah took 3-42 and Yadav supported with 2-25.