WI v IND, 1st Test Day 2 Review: Kohli and Ashwin lead India

While Day 1 of the first WI v IND Test at Antigua showed the class and caliber of Virat Kohli, Day 2 was the simple attestation of India’s dominance on the match. Virat Kohli became the first Indian skipper to smash a double-century outside India while makeshift batsman Ravichandran Ashwin completed a well-deserved century. However, it was hard work for the West Indies bowlers on the day as they failed to overwhelm the Indian batsmen.

Day 2 began in perhaps the best possible manner – a trademark Virat Kohli cover drive, and it was a well-deserved 150 for the Indian skipper. Ravichandran Ashwin reached yet another half-century in Test cricket with a delicate cut off the bowling of Jason Holder. From then on, it was a clear case of piling on the runs and reaching the next milestone. In contrast to their performance on the previous day, the Indian batsmen took a much more patient outlook, opting not to score as freely as they would have liked.

However, all eyes were on Virat Kohli as he neared his first ever double-century. The runs kept coming, but, they were coming from the bat of Ravichandran Ashwin, who seemed to be well on his way to smashing his first ever Test ton overseas. In spite of this, the Indian skipper soon reached his first ever double-century of his career, a feeling that he was perhaps experiencing for the first time in his already illustrious career. A knell down to the pitch and the gaze of Anil Kumble’s camera, capturing each and every moment of this simply phenomenal occasion was something special.

Kohli fell soon after lunch after chopping a thunderbolt hurled in by Shannon Gabriel. However, that didn’t matter, and for the first time in his career, Kohli had a smile on his face after being dismissed. He knew what he had done. While the West Indies bowlers lauded themselves on a job well done, little did they know what the tail had in store for them.

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Wriddhiman Saha. To many, Saha exudes the sort of minuscule batsman who comes in smash the ball around the park for a few minutes and retires back into the haven of the dressing sheds. Saha came in, smashed the ball to different parts. However, he was far from the narrative that many West Indies players had thought of. He put the Windies bowlers to the sword before being dismissed. Unsurprisingly, he was dismissed attempting to deposit the ball into the stands.

At this point, it was clear that Kohli was waiting for Ashwin to complete a century before calling an end to the innings. Amit Mishra, a distinguished batsman of minuscule repute joined his spinning counterpart. After a few scoops and whacks to the fence from Mishra, it was Ashwin’s turn to complete the century. He did so in style as he smashed the very next delivery to the fence, bringing up his third century of his Test career.

As Kohli was on the verge of calling the declaration, another problem presented itself. This time around, it was Amit Mishra who was nearing his half-century, another aspect prompting Kohli to hold the declaration for a slightly longer time. When he did, Mishra had smashed 53 and the Indians had amassed a mammoth 588/6.

It was late in the day when a tired looking West Indies opening pair of Rajendra Chandrika and Kraigg Brathwaite made their way out to bat. It was Mohammad Shami who starred with the ball this time as he foxed Chandrika with the latter getting the slightest of nicks to Saha behind the stumps. The day closed with the Windies at 31/1.

Brief Scores

India 1st Innings: 588/6 dec. (V Kohli 200; K Brathwaite 3/65)

West Indies 1st Innings: 31/1 (R Chandrika 16; M Shami 1/6)

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