IND vs WI 1st Test: KL Rahul Shines After Siraj & Bumrah Heroics

IND vs WI 1st Test: Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah merged to demolish the West Indies at a paltry amount of 162. Individually, in reply, KL Rahul, in good nick, made a cool half-century, and India took over the first-day of the first Test.

By the end of the play, India was at 121/2, and it was losing by 41 runs. India dominated the game, spearheaded by Siraj (4/40) and Bumrah (3/32) although there was a short pause in the game due to rain.

Rahul, who scored the first fifty of the series, was not out on 53 in the 114 balls, with six fours, as was India captain Shubman Gill who was not out on 18 in 42 balls and a single boundary.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal (36) of India succumbed after an excellent 68-run opening stand with Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan (7) followed soon. The hosts, however, did not seem to be too bothered on the opening day of this two-Test series.

Jaiswal with a reputation of varied shots was patient with his first boundary being reached after 37 deliveries. He then hastened making 6 additional hits on the boundaries of the 16 balls before being dismissed.

Jaiswal shifted to a safe 4 off 36 balls to an aggressive 36 off 54 balls, and hit seven fours. But he was beaten by Jayden Seales who had steered a shot that was just above his body to Shai Hope behind the wickets.

Sudharsan, whose batting position was three, only scored 7 runs and did not have time to settle down. In the 24th over, he was caught in a tangle with Rahul and was dismissed by West Indies captain Roston Chase, after failing to hit a pull shot properly.

Rahul was able to walk through his difficult times early in the day, as he timed his innings end to level one end. The surface was in favour of the new ball, Seales harassing the Indian openers, but the newcomer Johann Layne took time to adjust, his first deliveries tending to go down the leg side.

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In the morning Siraj, the leader of the Indian bowlers, had performed wonders, having bowled out the West Indies with 162 when they decided to bat. Siraj did not get a five-wicket haul but he continued to bother the Caribbean batters.

The best performance of Siraj was done after lunch, as he sent Chase (24) home dismissing him to dhruv Jurel, the wicketkeeper. In a deadly seven over stretch during the first session, Siraj claimed three wickets and in the post-lunch session, he just missed a five-wicket haul twice.

Bumrah regained his rhythm and bowled one or two yorkers to end up with 3 to 42. Kuldeep Yadav (2/25) had previously thrown Hope out with a brilliant delivery and picked up the last wicket, Jomel Warrican (8) was caught behind as he reverse-swept. The final Indian bowler to be introduced was Washington Sundar who came back with 1/9.

Justin Greaves scored maximum 32 points, Chase 24 and Hope 26 but as a team, the Caribbean batters were not on top of the first-day pitch.

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