Ravichandran Ashwin registered his best figures overseas, bowling India to a huge innings and 141 runs victory over the West Indies inside three days in the first Test in Roseau, Dominica, on Sunday.
India’s senior off-spinner finished with figures of 7 for 71 in 21.3 overs as the West Indies were bowled out for 130 in 50.3 overs in the second innings.
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Wenesday 31 Oct. 2024
He bagged 12 wickets in the match, having also taken a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
This was Ashwin’s 34th five-wicket haul in Tests and eighth 10-wicket match haul.
Earlier, India, who had reached 400 for 4 at lunch, declared their first innings on 421 for 5, gaining a massive lead of 271 runs.
The visitors batted for as many as 152.2 overs in their first innings, scoring at a run rate of 2.76, after the West Indies folded up for 150 in their first innings.
India’s big win was also set up by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a sublime 171 on debut. Virat Kohli contributed with 76 off 182, but it was not among his fluent knocks as he had to work extremely hard for his runs and was even dropped twice along the way.
The second and final Test starts in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on July 20. India, who haven’t lost a Test to the West Indies since 2002, are expected to complete a clean sweep and gain crucial points in the World Test Championship.
The writing was on the wall when the West Indies were reduced to 32 for four in their second innings.
With the conditions resembling the slow and dry tracks of India, Rohit Sharma introduced spin as early as the fifth over.
The West Indies were reduced to 27 for 2 in 19 overs at tea after Ashwin and Jadeja removed Kraigg Brathwaite (7) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (7) respectively.
Jadeja trapped Chanderpaul in front with the one that turned from middle stump and DRS showed it was clipping the top of his leg-stump.
Brathwaite had little clue about what the skilful Ashwin was up to as he edged a straighter one to Ajinkya Rahane at first slip.
The only West Indies batter who looked assured in the middle was debutant Alick Athanaze (28 off 44); he was not afraid to sweep Ashwin before unleashing a square cut and a pull off Mohammed Siraj.
The talented southpaw was eventually caught at short leg by Jaiswal off Ashwin in the 37th over.
Earlier, India declared an hour after lunch and it seemed they were waiting for debutant Ishan Kishan to get his first run which took 20 balls.
Kohli was the lone India batter to be dismissed after lunch. After being dropped in the first over post the break, Kohli did not last long as he fell into the trap laid by offie Rahkeem Cornwall.
The burly spinner got one to bounce from middle stump and Kohli ended up flicking to the waiting leg slip fielder.
In the morning, Jaiswal became only the third Indian to score 150 on debut while Kohli had to toil for a half-century as the visitors reached 400 for four at lunch.
Resuming the day on 312 for 2, India scored 88 runs in 29 overs in the morning session for the loss of Jaiswal (171) and Ajinkya Rahane (3).
The Indian batters had to work for their runs on a slow pitch offering a lot of turn and a heavy outfield. Kohli celebrating after hitting a rare boundary was proof of that.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican opened the bowling alongside Holder and instantly created issues for Kohli.
The former India skipper got a life when he was dropped on 40 by West Indies captain Brathwaite. Kohli went for a drive off Warrican and Brathwaite ended up grassing an easy chance at cover.
At the other end, Jaiswal stepped out to Warrican and dispatched him for a straight six.
He became the third Indian to reach 150 on debut with a single, matching the feats of Shikhar Dhawan (187) and Rohit Sharma (177).
A double hundred was in the offing for Jaiswal but it wasn’t to be as he edged one that angled away from Alzarri Joseph.
Soon after Rahane, who had a good opportunity to make a big impact, attempted a drive on the up on a slow pitch off Kemar Roach and ended up offering a simple catch at cover.
With Rahkeem Cornwall not allowed to bowl in the morning as he did not take the field on Day 2, the West Indies bowlers offered some easy boundaries towards the end of the session.
