Windies bowlers toil on opening day

Windies captain Jason Holder put in a workmanlike performance with the ball to snare three wickets to put the skid on India, who closed day one of the second Test on 264 for five.

Hanuma Vihari is unbeaten on 42, and with him is wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant, not out on 27. Captain Virat Kohli once again showed his true class, scoring 76, while opener Mayank Agarwal made a valiant 55.

Earlier, the Windies captain won the toss and decided to put the unchanged Indians in on a track that had a tinge of grass as the home side handed debuts to off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall and wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton, who replaced the injured Shai Hope.

Openers K.L. Rahul and Agarwal dug deep in the opening overs to repel a decent opening spell from Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel, pushing the score to 32 after six overs.

It took the introduction of captain Holder in the seventh over to get the first breakthrough as he got one to cut off the pitch and found the edge of Rahul, with debutant Rahkeem Cornwall taking a comfortable catch at slip to dismiss the right-hander for 13.

With the pitch not offering much to the seamers, Cornwall was brought into the attack, and the burly off-spinner immediate found a line and length that would eventually account for the wicket of number three batsman Cheteshwar Pujara.

In just his third over in international cricket, Cornwall got one to spin and bounce outside off stump, and Pujara tried to cut the ball away, only to find Shamarh Brooks at point for six, to leave India at 46 for two.

In came the Indian captain, who immediately went into recovery mode as he and Agarwal cautiously batted to lunch at 77 for two.

On the resumption, Agarwal and Kohli stepped up the tempo somewhat as the pair shared in a 69-run third-wicket partnership, which saw the former bringing up his third Test half-century.

He would, however, become the third wicket to fall in the post-lunch session as he edged Holder to Cornwall at slip for 55 with India at 115 for three.

Kohli was then joined at the crease by vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, and the pair meticulously manipulated the bowling, which by then was minus Shannon Gabriel, who exited the field with a niggling injury.

Kohli, who played some exquisite cover and straight drives, reached his half-century off 112 balls after batting for 145 minutes. He and Rahane put on 49 for the fourth wicket before Roach was finally rewarded for his toiling spell.

The Bajan got one to move off the seam, which found the edge of Rahane for 24 to hand the Anguillan wicketkeeper, Hamilton, his first catch at Test level.

REWARDING DECISION

At 164 for four in the 59th over, the Windies felt justified in sending the Indians into bat, and that decision looked even better when captain Holder bowled easily the ball of the match to dismiss his opposite number for a well-played 76.

Holder’s nagging line and length outside off stump tempted the right-hander, who edged behind to leave the visitors at 202 for five in the post-tea session, and the hosts found pep in their step once more.

However, that would be the only respite for the home team as Vihari and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant wrestled back the initiative away from the Windies, as the pair shared in an unbeaten 62-run sixth-wicket stand to leave the visitors nicely poised at 264 for five.

Vihari has so far hit eight fours in his unbeaten knock of 42 while Pant, who hit the only six of the innings thus far, is not out on 27.

Holder, who was the pick of the bowlers on the day, has so far taken three for 39 while Kemar Roach has only one wicket for 47.

Debutant Rahkeem Cornwall, who bowled 27 overs on the day, finished with one for 69, and the Antiguan was pleased with his first day on the park at international level.

“I think it was a good day for me, first day of Test cricket. We would have liked to have picked up one more wicket to be comfortable, but we just have to come tomorrow and work hard to get the remaining wickets.”

Indian Opener Mayank Agarwal says his team is looking good after a hard first day. “I think we are in a good position. To lose just five wickets on a track like that is ­commendable. We have to come ­tomorrow and try to pile on as much runs as possible.”