Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Mohammed Siraj’s incisive spell, along with Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav being among the wicket-takers led India dominant start by reducing West Indies to 90/5 in 23.2 overs at lunch on Day One of the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 2. Electing to bat after winning the toss, West Indies were rocked early by Siraj, who exploited the pitch with swing, seam, and bounce to claim 3-19 in his overs, as the visitors’ were reduced to 42/4. He and Bumrah kept a tight length and forced frequent errors.
Skipper Roston Chase and Shai Hope tried reviving the innings with a 48-run stand, before Kuldeep castled the latter at the stroke of lunch. In the morning, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, returning to Test cricket after 21 months, departed for a duck in the opening over after tickling one down leg to keeper Dhruv Jurel off Siraj. John Campbell followed soon after, adjudged caught behind on review off Bumrah. Brandon King hit three quick boundaries before a moment of misjudgment – shouldering arms to a ball that crashed into middle stump off Siraj – left West Indies. Alick Athanaze showed brief resistance but fell after driving on the up and edging to second slip to give Siraj his third wicket.
At 42/4, the West Indies were in deep trouble, and from there, Hope and Chase steadied the innings with a 48-run stand, showing intent against spin and capitalising on loose deliveries. Hope, in particular, looked assured, showcasing his back-foot play and measured drives. But just as West Indies seemed to have weathered the storm, Kuldeep – playing his first Test in over a year – produced a peach when he got one to drift, dip in, and turn sharply to breach Hope’s defence on an attempted drive and rattle his stumps on the stroke of lunch. With five wickets in the bag and the pitch offering assistance, India have held a firm grip on the game heading into the second session.
