India Tighten Screws on West Indies

Antigua: Featuring in a Test mach after nearly 18 months, Mohammad Shami (4/66) reminded everyone how lethal a bowler he can be at the highest level scything through the West Indies middle-order and with able support from fellow fast bowler Umesh Yadav (4/41), the duo bundled West Indies out in the first innings for 243 on day three of the first Test match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on Saturday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli enforced follow on and the hosts found themselves staring down the barrel at 21/1 in their second innings at close of play, trailing by 302 runs.

Kohli's emphasis on playing with five bowlers paid rich dividends as on a pitch that looked placid when India batted, looked quite different when Indian quicks operated.

The day started quite well for the hosts as opener Kraigg Brathwaite and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo kept India at bay for well over 15 overs at the start.

Bishoo put a price on his wicket and with Brathwaite's dogged defence that seemed near penetrable, the handful of spectators at the stadium might have hoped for an unlikely show of resilience from the home team. However, Bishoo went for an over ambitious sweep off fellow legspinner Amit Mishra and was beaten in flight to be stumped for 12.

Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels - the two most experienced players in the Windies line-up - should have taken over the responsibility from the young Brathwaite, but far from it the duo were all at sea during their rather disappointing stays in the middle.

Showing intent on any kind of wicket, on any sort of situation and against any odds is what fight back is all about, and while Brathwaite's long vigil held one end up, he failed to keep the scorecard ticking and with no real support from his senior players, West Indies dug themselves a hole in the first session.

It was just a matter of time before India got the break and that happened when Shami bowled round the wicket to Bravo and got the ball to bounce. The delivery coming at an angle had the left-hander poking one to the wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha one over before lunch.

Four overs in to the second session, Shami produced a double-wicket maiden over. Samuels, stuck in his crease, prodded at the good length delivery to get a faint edge that was easily taken by Saha. In the same over, the Kolkata bowler dragged his length back and celebrated his 51st Test wicket by inducing an edge from Jermaine Blackwood (0) towards the slip cordon.

At 144 for seven, WI were down and out. Shane Dowrich (57*) and Jason Holder (36) then showed intent and got a move on.

Coming on to bat the second time around, K Brathwaite was trapped in front by Ishant in the first over. Bravo (10*) and opener Rajendra Chandrika (9*) then took WI to 21/1 at close of play.
 
Brief scores
India - 566 for 8 decl. (Kohli 200, Ashwin 113, Dhawan 84, Mishra 53) by 535 runs
West Indies - 243 (K Brathwaite 74, Dowrich 57*, Yadav 4-41, Shami 4-66) and 21 for 1 (Ishant 1-3)
Status - West Indies trail by 302 runs