West Indies’ vulnerable top-order crumbled again in between the showers to be 48 for four in their second innings at lunch on the rain-affected fourth day of the second Test against India at Sabina Park in Jamaica yesterday.
Trailing on first innings by 304 runs after the tourists reached 500 for nine declared at tea on the third day, the hosts go into the afternoon session still facing a deficit of 256 runs to avoid a second consecutive innings defeat in the four-match series.
Frustrated by a weather system that erased the final session on day three and delayed the start of play on the fourth morning for over an hour, India’s varied attack made up for the lost time by again exploiting the glaring weaknesses of the West Indies batsmen.
With his place in the team on the line after a succession of low scores in his fledgling Test career, Rajendra Chandrika was the first to go, bowled for one by a delivery that made extra height from tall fast bowler Ishant Sharma and rebounded off the batsman’s right elbow onto the stumps as he attempted to pull out of the shot.
His opening partner, Kraigg Brathwaite, and new batsman Darren Bravo were peppered with regular short-pitched bowling from both Sharma and Mohamed Shami.
On Monday, Ajinkya Rahane completed a seventh Test century and Roston Chase claimed his first five-wicket innings haul as India declared their first innings at 500 for nine in reply to the West Indies total of 196.
Persistent showers prevented any play after tea and more rain is forecast on the fourth day with the West Indies facing a massive deficit of 304 runs at the start of their second innings.
India’s resolute batting performance extended through two sessions of play on day three to put the tourists in complete command and on course for victory and a 2-0 lead in the four-match series barring protracted intervention by the elements over the remaining two days of the match.
Indian captain Virat Kohli’s declaration came at the fall of the ninth wicket, when Umesh Yadav miscued a swing at Chase for West Indies captain Jason Holder to take the catch at midwicket and give the 24-year-old innings figures of five for 121 off 36.1 overs in just his second Test match.