Rahul, Rahane put India in control in Jamaica

West Indies captain Jason Holder earned a richly-deserved wicket at the end of an excellent spell of bowling, but India remained firmly in control at 456 for six before rain halted play on the third day of the second Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica yesterday.
That gave the tourists a lead of 260 runs. On Sunday, Lokesh Rahul’s Test-best 158 anchored India’s formidable reply to the West Indies first innings total of 196. Yesterday, Ajinkya Rahane survived a searching examination from medium-pacer Holder and benefited from a dropped chance off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo to be unbeaten on 83 when the heavens opened up. Amith Mishra was giving him company on 21.
The West Indies had finally enjoyed a bit of success for their discipline and persistence with the ball when wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha was ruled leg-before to Holder for 47 on the stroke of lunch interval. Their sixth-wicket partnership was worth 98 runs and further solidified India’s already dominant position in the match, even though they were again kept to a pedestrian scoring rate with only 67 runs added in the two hours of play in the morning session.
Holder, who had gone wicketless through 54 overs in the series, troubled Rahane consistently in a nine-over spell after replacing fast bowler Shannon Gabriel 40 minutes into the session. In one particularly testing over, he had three vehement lbw appeals turned down and twice beat the outside edge of the well-set batsman.
Bishoo should have claimed a wicket at the other end but Rajendra Chandrika failed to hold on to a low diving effort at backward-point when Rahane, on 65, top-edged an attempted cut. Rahane and Mishra then put up 31 runs, before rain halted India’s progress. More rain is forecast on the fourth day and Indians needed to pursue quick runs to put the hosts under greater pressure in their second innings by the close of play.
On Sunday, Rahul made most of a recall to the team as replacement for the injured Murali Vijay. The Karnataka batsman interspersed moments of rare aggression with long periods of watchful defiance over his near seven-hour occupation of the crease in compiling his third hundred in just six Tests. “It was hard to get runs today and it was also really, really hot,” said Rahul reflecting on his first Test innings in a year.”I was really enjoying my batting even though they were bowling a lot better today.”
He put on 121 for the second wicket with Pujara, who was run out for 46 after lunch by Chase’s direct throw to the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Virat Kohli helped Rahul add 69 runs for the third wicket going into the final session of the day when the latter’s innings ended in somewhat controversial circumstances as lengthy deliberation involving the television umpire was needed before he was ruled caught by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich down the leg-side off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel.
Chase snared his second wicket, the prized scalp of Kohli, when the Indian captain fell to a sharp catch by Rajendra Chandrika at short-leg for 44 and leg-spinner Bishoo earned an lbw verdict against Ravichandran Ashwin.
At that stage, India had lost three wickets for 50 runs at 327 for five, a veritable collapse in the context of their virtual impregnability through the first six hours of the innings. “I’m a batsman more than a bowler but I’m looking at developing my all-round game,” said Chase at the end of the day when he again featured prominently with his off-spin.”The selectors spoke to me about it and advised that I shouldn’t be a one-track player so I’m working on my bowling especially.”

Scoreboard
West Indies I Innings 196
India I Innings (overnight 358 for 5)
KL Rahul c Dowrich b Gabriel  158
S. Dhawan c Bravo b Chase  27
C. Pujara run out  46
V. Kohli c Chandrika b Chase  44
A. rahane batting  83
R. Ashwin lbw Bishoo  3
W. Saha lbw Holder  47
A Mishra batting  21
Extras (b-8, lb-3, w-6, nb-10)      26
Total (162 overs, 6 wkts)  456
Fall of wickets: 1-87 (Dhawan), 2-208 (Pujara), 3-277 (Rahul), 4-310 (Kohli), 5-327 (Ashwin), 6-425 (Saha)
To bat: A. Mishra, M. Shami, I. Sharma, U. Yadav
Bowling: S Gabriel 28-8-62-1 (7nb),
M. Cummins 23.4-4-82-0 (1w), J Holder 34.2-12-72-1 (1nb, 1w), R Chase 32-4-96-2,
D Bishoo 35-5-107-1, K Brathwaite 9-0-26-0
India lead West Indies by 260 runs