News Sports Cricket Ind vs WI, 1st Test: India in control as Shami, Yadav make West Indies follow on

Ind vs WI, 1st Test: India in control as Shami, Yadav make West Indies follow on

A dominant India took complete control of the first test after dismissing West Indies for 243 on Saturday and forcing the hosts to follow on. India took a huge first-innings lead of 323 runs. Having

Mohammed Shami celebrates with Virat Kohli and teammates taking a wicket Image Source : APMohammed Shami celebrates with Virat Kohli and teammates taking a wicket

A dominant India took complete control of the first test after dismissing West Indies for 243 on Saturday and forcing the hosts to follow on.

India took a huge first-innings lead of 323 runs.

Having started the third day on 30/1 — 536 runs behind India's massive 566/8 — West Indies' first innings never gained any purposeful momentum, losing wickets at regular intervals in a disappointing display.

The standout performance came from Kraigg Brathwaite, who scored a determined 74 whilst his teammates were regularly dismissed. Shane Dowrich (57) and captain Jason Holder (36) weren't able to build on promising starts.

Returning from a one and a half year injury layoff, Mohammad Shami (4-66) had done the damage before tea, and Umesh Yadav (4-41) continued afterwards, as the hosts were bowled out with 13 overs remaining in the day. But that was after Shane Dowrich (57 not out, 10 fours) and skipper Jason Holder (36) put on 69 runs for the 8th wicket.

They looked good in the middle and kept the scoreboard ticking for the duration of their partnership, with the West Indies' 200-mark coming up in the 81st over and their 50-run stand coming off 80 balls.

The new ball was taken thereafter, with R Ashwin (0-43) starting but he soon gave way to Yadav and Shami. Dowrich meanwhile got to his 2nd Test half-century off 75 balls, even as runs started flowing owing to the hardness of the new ball.

But it didn't last long as Yadav finally induced an edge off Holder in the 86th over, caught behind by keeper Wriddhiman Saha. It was his sixth dismissal of the innings and he equalled the Indian record held by both Farokh Engineer and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Yadav then bowled Carlos Brathwaite (0) off the very first ball, as the burly batsman shouldered arms to an incoming delivery. Amit Mishra (2-43) then ended the resistance and bowled Shannon Gabriel (2).

Trailing by 323 runs, the West Indies were asked to follow on, and Ishant Sharma (1-3) managed to remove the in-form Kraigg Brathwaite (2) in the very first over, trapping him LBW. Thereafter, Rajendra Chandrika (9 batting) and Darren Bravo (10 batting) successfully negotiated the remaining overs without further loss.

Earlier, post lunch, it was an improved display by the Indian bowlers who looked to change their line and length from the morning. And the change could be seen almost immediately as Shami started proceedings after the break. He kept both Brathwaite (74 runs) and Marlon Samuels (1) guessing, inducing an edge off the latter in the 49th over.

Four deliveries later, it became a double blow, as Jermaine Blackwood (0) was unable to fend off a sharp rising delivery and was caught at gully by Ajinkya Rahane.

(With PTI inputs)