Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) India failed to capitalise on a good start, suffering a sudden collapse to struggle at 151 for four in their first innings at tea after bowling out the West Indies for 304 on the second day of the first Test here Monday.

Rahul Dravid was batting on 18 and Yuvraj Singh 22 at the break, before which India lost four wickets, including that of Sachin Tendulkar (7), for just 31 runs.

Resuming at the overnight 256/5, the West Indies’ innings wrapped up in 82 minutes as the last five wickets fell for just 48 runs. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, bagged his maiden five-wicket haul and finished with figures of six for 72 while debutant off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged three for 81.

Openers Gautam Gambhir (41) and Virender Sehwag (55) gave India a strong start as the hosts raced to 39 for no loss in five overs at lunch. Gambhir survived a dropped chance off pacer Fidel Edwards while Sehwag was lucky to be bowled off a no-ball. But the duo showed no signs of stopping against the West Indies pace attack.

They cleverly used Edward’s pace to score the boundaries but Ravi Rampaul bowled a tight line from the other end.

It was against the run of play that the West Indies got their first breakthrough. A well-timed straight drive from Sehwag kissed skipper Darren Sammy’s finger on way to the stumps and Gambhir was found well short of the crease.

A fine piece of wicketkeeping by Carlton Baugh ended Sehwag’s 46-ball knock that was studded with nine fours.

The crowd, which was waiting anxiously for Tendulkar’s impending 100th international century, plunged into silence after the batting maestro missed a fullish delivery off Edwards and was plumb in front in the 21st over.

Eight balls later, V.V.S.Laxman (1) lazily pushed at an away going delivery from Sammy and Carlton Baugh did the rest behind the stumps.

Earlier in the day, Ojha, making a comeback in the Test team after a year, struck in his first over of the day trapping overnight batsman Baugh (27) leg-before the wicket after the keeper missed a sweep and in the next over got rid of Sammy (5).

In the next over, Ishant Sharma removed centurion Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who could add just seven runs to his overnight score of 111, leg-before but TV replays showed that the ball was angling down.

Rampaul (12) and Edwards (10) added 23 runs for the ninth wicket that helped West Indies achieve a respectable total.

(Abhishek Roy can be contacted at abhishek.roy@ians.in)