Rajkot Test: India crush Windies by innings and 272 runs

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Rajkot (Gujarat) [India], Oct 6 : Indian bowlers produced an exceptional bowling display to defeat West Indies by an innings and 272 runs in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Saurashtra Cricket Stadium here on Saturday. Asked to follow-on by India after being bowled out for 181 in the first innings, the Caribbean side attempted to launch a counter-attack against the Indian bowlers. However, their attempts were thwarted by the spinners.

Other than Kieran Powell, who made a fighting 83, none of the batsmen could spend their time in the crease as they looked lost and beguile on tackling the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. It was merely a repeat of the first innings’ show, as West Indies folded up for just 196. Kuldeep snared his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests, returning with figures of five for 57, followed by Jadeja’s three for 35.

It was a dominant show by the spinners as the Caribbean side were no match for them. Earlier on Saturday, the visitors resumed at the overnight score of 94 for 6 on the third day. Sharing a 73-run partnership, Roston Chase (53) and Keemo Paul (47) came out with guns blazing, taking on Indian bowlers and finding the rope every over. However, the resistance was thwarted by pacer Umesh Yadav, who broke the stand. As the seventh wicket fell, it was a mere formality for the spinners, as the Caribbean side folded soon, with just 181 runs on the board.

Ashwin was India’s wrecker-in-chief as he spun a web around the West Indian batsmen in the first innings. The 32-year-old Tamil Nadu spinner scalped four wickets for 37 runs. On the second day, India made early inroads in the visitor’s innings, with Mohammad Shami sending back the openers inside four overs, before the spinners began their onslaught.

In the first innings, the Indian batting line-up made merry against a brittle West Indies’ bowling attack with three of their batsmen – Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli and Jadeja – smashing centuries, with others contributing in tandem. Shaw was adjudged ‘Man of the Match’ for his brilliant maiden hundred. India will now be looking to complete a 2-0 win over the visitors in the second Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad from October 12.