north sound (Antigua and Barbuda) (AFP) – Devendra Bishoo snared wickets at both ends of the afternoon session but India progressed to 179 for three at tea on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday.
Despite the leg-spinner’s success, Shikhar Dhawan’s determined innings of 84 and an aggressive unbeaten 64 from captain Virat Kohli dominated play after lunch.
Kohli also passed 3,000 runs in Test cricket in the process.
The pair put on 105 for the third wicket at almost a run-a-minute before the opening batsman was adjudged lbw attempting a sweep at Bishoo in what proved to be the last delivery before the interval.
Not called upon by his captain in the morning period of play, when even debutant batsman and part-time off-spinner Roston Chase delivered eight overs, the leg-spinner induced a false shot from Cheteshwar Pujara when called into action for the first over after lunch.
The phlegmatic batsman played a shot totally out of character when a miscued pull sliced a catch to Kraigg Brathwaite at backward point.
Bishoo carried the bulk of the bowling work from one end during the two hours of play for figures of two for 47 off 12.5 overs.
Pujara’s demise brought in Kohli and the Indian skipper immediately stamped his authority on the proceedings, dominating the partnership and always looking to put an inexperienced and limited bowling attack under pressure.
In contrast, the usually destructive Dhawan was content to play the supporting role.
Famed for his unrestrained attacking instincts in all forms of the game, the left-handed opening batsman displayed admirable restraint against bowling that lacked any real pace and potency, with the notable exception of Shannon Gabriel, who caused alarms for the Indian opening pair with his raw pace at the start of the day after Kohli chose to bat first on winning the toss.
Gabriel removed Murali Vijay for just seven after half-an-hour’s play when the right-hander fended at a lifting delivery for Brathwaite to take the catch at the second attempt at second slip.
Pujara looked untroubled on joining Dhawan at the crease with the pair putting on 60 before the middle-order player’s error of judgement brought about his demise immediately after lunch.
Having opted to go into the match without uncapped fast-medium bowler Miguel Cummins, the only other pace threat available in the West Indies pre-match squad of 13, it was left to captain Jason Holder, fellow medium-pacer Carlos Brathwaite and Chase to do the bulk of the early work in support of Gabriel.
While the West Indies have packed their side with batting, India opted for a bowling attack comprising three pacers and two spinners, omitting Ravindra Jadeja in preference for Amit Mishra to work in tandem with Ravichandran Ashwin as specialist slow bowlers.
West Indies have not defeated India in Test cricket for 14 years since the end of the 2002 series in the Caribbean and are the decided underdogs for the first meeting with these opponents on home soil for five years.
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