IND vs WI, 2nd Test Day 2: Ravichandran Ashwin Hits Fifty as India Post 438 in First Innings at Tea

Ravichandran Ashwin hit a fine half-century to help India cross the 400-run mark after Virat Kohli scored a fine century in the first session on Day 2. Kemar Roach dismissed Ashwin at the stroke of Tea to bundle out India for 438 in the first innings of the second Test match in Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Ashwin took charge after Tea and smashed the West Indies bowlers for boundaries after he saw his batting partners getting back to the pavilion at regular intervals.

Ashwin hit 56 runs off 78 balls before getting dismissed. He smashed 8 boundaries against his favourite opposition to bat as he has scored four centuries in the past versus West Indies.

Ishan Kishan and R Ashwin resumed India’s batting after Lunch but the young wicketkeeper batter failed to grab the opportunity and was dismissed for 25. He was dismissed by Jason Holder after edging the ball behind the stumps to Joshua Da Silva.

Jomel Warrican spun his web, in the end, to dismiss Jaydev Unadkat (7) and Mohammed Siraj (0) in quick succession.

After Siraj’s dismissal, Ashwin decided to swing his bat as he smashed Roach for three boundaries in the same over he got dismissed later. Debutant Mukesh Kumar was the unbeaten batter for India as he faced just one delivery but didn’t open his account in international cricket.

Roach and Warrican were the pick of the bowlers for West Indies in the innings as they claimed three wickets each while Holder took two.

Earlier, Kohli struck his 76th international hundred (121) on his 500th match while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja hit a fine half-century (61) respectively before getting out to put India in driver’s seat as visitors were 373/6 at lunch on Day 2.

Kohli’s flawless hundred ended his five-year wait for a hundred in an overseas Test. With this, he also took his tally of centuries on par with Sir Donald Bradman, who had scored 29 tons in 52 Tests.

Kohli and Jadeja demonstrated remarkable stability on the crease as the duo stitched 159 runs partnership for the fifth wicket. The stand came to an end when Kohli got run out on his individual score of 121 as West Indies were in desperate need of a breakthrough.

Kohli got an able ally in Jadeja, who got his 19th half-century and reaffirmed his status as a batting all-rounder in overseas conditions. He was dismissed on 61 by Roach.