Jaiswal falls for 171 as India decide to declare

West Indies yesterday finally prised out debutant century-maker Yashasvi Jaiswal and added the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane but India declared at 421 for the loss of five wickets after lunch on day three of the first Test.
With a lead of 271 runs over the home team, India remained looked set to win the opening Test when they got the prized wicket of West Indies opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul for just seven in the 9th over. With 24 overs to go for the day, West Indies had collaped to 44 for 4 wickets in the second innings.
Already facing the prospect of an innings defeat on a deteriorating pitch, the Caribbean team didn’t help their cause when captain Kraigg Brathwaite dropped a regulation catch offered by Virat Kohli off left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.
On 40 at the time, the champion batsman and former skipper’s painstaking effort took him to 76 before he was dismissed by Rakheem Cornwall.
Getting to 171 off 387 deliveries in more than eight hours in the middle, Jaiswal was undone by the extra pace and bounce extracted by fast bowler Alzarri Joseph in edging a catch to wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva after an hour’s play to break a 110-run third-wicket partnership with Kohli.
Senior seamer Kemar Roach then accounted for vice-captain Rahane who mistimed a drive to Jermaine Blackwood at extra-cover.
Jadeja was not out on 37 and Test debutant Ishan Kishan on 1 when captain Rohit Sharma decided to declare the innings at 421 for the loss of five wickets.
Meanwhile India batsman Jaiswal thanked skipper Rohit for talking him through his Test debut on Thursday after the left-hander scored an unbeaten 143 in a sparkling opening partnership with his captain. Jaiswal shared an opening stand of 229 with Rohit (103) as the tourists closed the second day’s play at 312-2 after dismissing the hosts for 150.
The first India batsman to score a ton on debut outside Asia in over 21 years, he told reporters that Rohit’s insight and experience had been vital. “He kept telling me how to play on this wicket and where the runs will come from,” said Jaiswal. “There was great communication between us before the game as well. He told me ‘You have to do it, you are the only person.’ I also kept thinking about it and how I need to prepare mentally and score runs. I have learned a lot and I hope to continue doing so.”
The 21-year-old forged a reputation as a hard-hitting batter in the Indian Premier League this season, scoring the fastest fifty (13 balls) in IPL history and making 625 runs.
“It feels good. It was an emotional moment and I enjoyed it a lot,” he said of his first Test experience. “This is just the start of my career and I will try to stay focused and disciplined as I want to keep playing for India for a long time.”