Team India took total control of the first Test in the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle against the West Indies on the opening day at Dominica on Wednesday, July 12. West Indies chose to bat first after winning the toss and it seemed like that was the only thing that went their way as Indian bowlers and openers proved to be too good for them on the day as the visitors trail by just 70 runs with all 10 wickets in hand.
Senior India spinner R Ashwin on his return to the Test side after missing the WTC final was on the money from the get-go, on a pitch that looked like turning from the first day itself as it was very brown in colour with patches of grass. Ashwin is one of the greatest bowlers in world cricket and on surfaces that assist him, even if a little, he will make life hell for the batters, which he did for the West Indies line-up.
After the openers kept Indian bowlers at bay for a few overs at the start, Ashwin sprung into the action with a couple of wickets including skipper Kraigg Brathwaite. Shardul Thakur's golden arm got India their third wicket before the visitors reduced West Indies to 68/4 at the stroke of lunch owing to Mohammed Siraj's stunner off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja didn't take much time after the break as he got his second in the form of Joshua Da Silva, the wicket-keeper batter.
Jason Holder and debutant Alick Athanaze did stitch a 38-run partnership for the 6th wicket and looked like taking the West Indies to a respectable total before the script repeated itself. Mohammed Siraj, who had already made an impact in the field broke the partnership which took West from from 79/5 to 117. After which, it was R Ashwin magic all over again as he not only completed 700 international wickets with the wicket of Alzarri Joseph but also achieved his 33rd five-wicket haul in his comeback game.
Ashwin's fifer and Ravindra Jadeja's three-wicket haul helped India get West Indies all out for 150 before skipper Rohit Sharma and his new opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal took the visitors through to the stumps without any hiccups. All eyes were on the 21-year-old prodigy Jaiswal, who was making his debut for India.
Jaiswal opened his account on the 16th delivery of his innings and once he had his eyes in, he started playing his natural game. The left-hander respected some good deliveries from the likes of Jason Holder and Rahkeem Cornwall and punished anything lose. Jaiswal was batting on 40 and skipper Rohit on 30 as Team India will be eyeing taking a massive lead and not bat again in this Test match as West Indies need a few moments of inspiration to bowl out India early.
