New Delhi, October 10 — India made an impressive start on the opening day of the second and final Test match against the West Indies, finishing at 318 for two wickets at stumps on Friday. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal led the charge with a magnificent seventh Test century, while Sai Sudharsan showcased solid temperament and stroke play to underline his growing importance in the team.
Winning the toss for the first time as captain, Shubman Gill opted to bat first on a pitch that looked ideal for batting, and Jaiswal capitalized fully on the opportunity. Having missed out on a big score in the previous Test, he appeared determined this time and produced a fluent innings filled with crisp drives and aggressive stroke-making. He remained unbeaten on 173 runs off 253 deliveries, hitting 22 boundaries.
Sudharsan, however, fell short of his maiden Test hundred after a composed knock of 87 runs from 165 balls, including 12 fours — his highest score in Test cricket so far. Together, Jaiswal and Sudharsan added a commanding 193 runs for the second wicket, completely dismantling a fragile West Indian bowling attack. At the close of play, Jaiswal was batting alongside skipper Gill, who was on 20 from 68 deliveries, with the pair putting together an unbroken 67-run stand for the third wicket.
Earlier, opener K L Rahul was unlucky to fall for 38 when a sharply turning and bouncing delivery from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican took his wicket in the morning session. Warrican later struck again in the final session, trapping Sudharsan leg before wicket to give West Indies their second breakthrough. He finished the day with figures of two for 60, while the rest of the visiting bowlers struggled to make any impact.
India accumulated 94 runs for the loss of one wicket in the first session and then dominated the second, adding 126 runs without any damage to their wickets. In the final session, they managed 98 runs, losing only Sudharsan’s wicket. The West Indian bowlers failed to find the right rhythm throughout the day — the spinners bowled too short, and the pacers could not maintain a consistent line or length, allowing Indian batsmen to score freely.
Jaiswal and Sudharsan batted aggressively after lunch, scoring at nearly six runs per over at one point, before slightly slowing down their pace later in the session. The visitors missed a key opportunity when Sudharsan, on 58, lofted Justin Greaves toward short mid-wicket, but Warrican dropped the catch.
The Feroz Shah Kotla ground once again brought luck to Sudharsan, who had earlier scored a century here for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket. However, his dream of a Test hundred remained unfulfilled as he was declared leg before wicket trying to play Warrican across the line, and the review did not save him.
Jaiswal combined composure with controlled aggression, maintaining his focus even as the West Indies took a late review for an LBW appeal against him, which was turned down. His innings was a blend of timing, patience, and confidence that kept the scoreboard moving steadily.
Earlier in the day, Rahul had struck a six off spinner Khary Pierre over deep mid-wicket before being stumped off Warrican’s delivery. Batting on a pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers, Rahul looked in good touch and played some exquisite shots, including a back-foot punch over the covers off Jayden Seales. Before his dismissal, he had added 58 runs with Jaiswal for the opening wicket.
India retained the same playing eleven that had defeated West Indies by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test at Ahmedabad, led by Roston Chase. The visitors made two changes, bringing in Tevin Imlach and Anderson Phillip in place of Brandon King and Johann Layne.
At the end of Day 1, India’s commanding position reflected a near-perfect start to the match, with Jaiswal anchoring the innings and setting the tone for what could be another dominant performance in the series.
