After Ravichandran Ashwin took a five-wicket haul to reduce the West Indies to only 150 in the first innings, India’s openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma established a strong position. The first day of the first Test match at Windsor Park, Dominica went well for the new India starting duo.
India finished the first day with 80/0 at the close of play thanks to a strong opening partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal (40*) and Rohit Sharma (30*).
The young rookie took some time to establish his account, but once he did, he seemed to have impeccable taste. With a magnificent boundary at backward point on the 18th delivery he faced, he got off to a strong start. He then went on to get six extra-base hits on Day 1.
Rohit, who was unsuccessful in leading his team to victory in the World Test Championship last month, seemed in command with the bat in Dominica. During his 30-run* knock, he hit a six, three fours, and a two.
With the exception of a few errant strokes, Rohit and Jaiswal did not offer any danger to the Indian openers on Day 1 of play against the West Indies bowlers.
Earlier, West Indies were pinned to the ground by Ravichandran Ashwin’s spell as India bowled them out for only 150 in the first innings. With a five-wicket haul, Ashwin destroyed the Windies batting order, which seemed unprepared for India’s formidable onslaught.
With his bowling numbers of 5/60, Ashwin, who was not selected for India’s XI in the WTC Final match against Australia, showed his talent and shown he is still among the best in the industry.Ashwin became the third Indian, after Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, to reach 700 wickets in international cricket with his third wicket of the game, Alzarri Joseph.
His first match-winning wicket came from Tagenarine Chanderpaul, which allowed him to enter his name in a special record book. Ashwin made history by being the first Indian to take out both a father and a son. The 36-year-old dismissed Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s father Shivnarine Chanderpaul in his first game in the longest format. He had made his Test debut in New Delhi in 2011.
He also fired Kraigg Brathwaite, Alick Athanaze, and Jomel Warrican in the meanwhile.
Additionally contributing well, his spin partner Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets to derail the West Indies innings. As well as bowling a magnificent fuller length throughout the first session, the tenacious Mohammed Siraj (12-2-25-1) modified his strategy after lunch to throw a lot more bouncers to rush the hitters on a sluggish track.
Alick Athanaze of West Indies was the only batsman to strike with assurance in the middle and to score 47 runs in his first innings.
Short Scores West Indies’ first inning was dismissed for 150 runs in 64.3 overs (Alick Athanaze scored 47; Ravichandran Ashwin took 5/60; Ravindra Jadeja took 3/26). First innings score for India: 80/0; 23 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 40, Rohit Sharma 30).
