Brief Score: India 421 for 5 dec (Jaiswal 171, Rohit 103, Kohli 76) beat West Indies 150 (Athanaze 47, Ashwin 5-60, Jadeja 3-26) and 130 (Athanaze 28, Ashwin 7-71, Jadeja 2-38) by an innings and 141 runs.
Player of the Match: Yashasvi Jaiswal
Ravichandran Ashwin was the star performer with 12 wickets as India convincingly defeated West Indies by an innings and 141 runs in the first Test at Windsor Park. India declared their innings with a commanding lead of 271, largely thanks to debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal’s impressive 171. Ashwin then showcased his mastery by taking 7 wickets for just 71 runs, causing West Indies to crumble for a mere 130 on the third evening.
The pitch favored spinners, prompting Rohit Sharma to deploy Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja together after just four overs of West Indies’ second innings. Employing an around-the-wicket approach, the duo swiftly dismantled West Indies’ top order. Ashwin dismissed right-handers Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood, while Jadeja accounted for left-handers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Raymon Reifer. This left West Indies reeling at 32 for 4, despite Ishan Kishan dropping Brathwaite when he was on zero, off Jadeja’s delivery.
Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva managed to take the score past 50, but their partnership was cut short at 26 runs when Mohammed Siraj trapped Da Silva leg-before-wicket. Athanaze, who was given a reprieve by Jaiswal after scoring just 1, continued to attack. Although he managed to hit a couple of fours off Ashwin’s first spell, the offspinner returned to have him caught at short leg, with Jaiswal making no mistakes this time.
Alzarri Joseph came in before Rahkeem Cornwall in the Test once again and tried to survive through aggressive batting. He smashed Ashwin for a six over long-off but was caught out in deep midwicket while attempting another big hit.
Ashwin changed his angle to over the wicket to claim his fifth wicket by having Cornwall caught at short leg with a sharp offbreak. Kemar Roach’s stay at the crease was brief, and although Jomel Warrican put up a brief fight, it took Ashwin just a couple of overs beyond the scheduled hours to dismiss him leg-before-wicket. Jason Holder resisted for 50 balls, but received little support from the other end.
In the morning session, as Jaiswal and Virat Kohli resumed India’s innings at 312 for 2, West Indies faced some challenges. Joseph couldn’t open the bowling due to his 28-minute absence from the field the previous evening, and Cornwall was prohibited from bowling for two hours after leaving the field with a chest infection on day two.
On a pitch that gradually lost pace, Jaiswal comfortably played attacking shots against the seamers. He initiated the day with a boundary, driving the ball through covers off Holder. Soon after, he became the third Indian to score 150 or more on Test debut, following Shikhar Dhawan (187) and Rohit (177).
Joseph returned to the attack when eligible, and by that time, Jaiswal was eyeing quicker runs. He hit Joseph for a boundary with an uppercut over backward point to bring up a 100-run partnership with Kohli. Jaiswal then charged down the ground to hit Warrican for a straight six.
Joseph, sensing Jaiswal’s aggressive intent, shortened his length and bowled five consecutive dot balls before finally having him caught behind on the sixth attempt as Jaiswal attempted to punch off the back foot.
Ajinkya Rahane struggled to adapt to the slowing pitch and was dismissed for just 3, chipping Roach’s first ball of the morning to cover.
West Indies had a chance to dismiss Kohli in the sixth over of the day when Warrican induced an uppish drive towards extra cover, but Brathwaite dropped the catch. Kohli was on 40 at that moment and had to work hard for his runs. It took him 147 balls to reach his half-century, making it his third slowest in Test cricket.
The scoring became slightly easier when, approximately 25 minutes before lunch, Brathwaite introduced Athanaze from one end and bowled himself from the other. Kohli and Jadeja capitalized on this opportunity, each hitting a couple of boundaries to take India to 400.
Shortly after lunch, Kohli received another reprieve at 72. He edged Roach behind the stumps while attempting to drive away from his body, but Da Silva couldn’t hold onto the chance despite a one-handed diving effort. Kohli’s innings eventually ended at 76 when he flicked Cornwall to leg slip.
Much like his fellow debutant Jaiswal, Kishan also took his time to open his account. Jaiswal managed to get off the mark after 16 balls, while Kishan did so on the 20th ball. As soon as Kishan scored his first run, Rohit declared the innings.
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