Centuries by Jaiswal and Rohit, India take a 95-run lead over West Indies

Roseau. Debutant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma scored centuries and a record first-wicket partnership between the two as India were 245 for two in the first innings till tea on the second day of the first cricket Test against the West Indies here on Thursday. Kept the upper hand with a lead of . At tea, Jaiswal was 116 while Virat Kohli was playing on four runs. Jaiswal shared a 229-run partnership for the first wicket with captain Rohit (103), which is India’s highest first-wicket partnership outside Asia. The pair surpassed the pair of Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar who put on 213 for the first wicket against England at The Oval in August 1979.

Jaiswal has hit 12 fours in his innings so far facing 244 balls. Rohit’s 221-ball inning included 10 fours and two sixes. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite tried eight bowlers but success came only to debutant all-rounders Alyque Athanaj (1/24) and Jomel Warrican (1/66). Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall looked impressive in the first session but a chest infection forced him to return to the dressing room. India started the day on 80 runs without losing a wicket. The Indian batsmen did not take any unnecessary risks in the morning session. The team did not lose any wicket during this period but scored only 66 runs. In the second session, however, the Indian batsmen put up a better show scoring 99 runs in 29 overs.

In the morning session, off-spinner Cornwall and left-arm spinner Warrican did not give the Indian batsmen a chance to play freely but failed to pick up wickets. Due to the slow coming of the pitch, the Indian openers had no problem in defending the batting. Jaiswal, who started the day with a 40, brought up his half-century in the morning session with his first four. He collected four runs off a pull shot off fast bowler Alzarri Joseph. The best shot of the morning session came from the bat of Rohit who hit Joseph for a six over mid-wicket. He also made his full toss see the boundary after hitting a square cut four off Warrican. After lunch, the Indian batsmen increased the run rate and also took some risks during this period.

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Jaiswal gave India the lead in the 58th over with a single off Warrican. This is the first time that India has taken a lead in the first innings without losing any wicket. Jaiswal played freely in the second season. He hit two fours in Jason Holder’s over and also made the balls of Warrican and Joseph visible to the boundary. Rohit preferred to rotate the strike during this period. Jaiswal took India’s score to 200 in the 69th over with a single off Kemar Roach. Jaiswal joined the list of Indian players to score a century on Test debut with a single off debutant Alyque Athanage. Rohit also completed his 10th Test century in 220 balls with a four off Athanaj. However, he returned to the pavilion by catching wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva on the very next ball. Shubman Gill also played Warrican’s ball in the hands of Athanaje at second slip after scoring just six runs.