Hyderabad, Oct 13: Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant continued to impress with batting exploits to prove they are going to have bright future prospects while Ajinkya Rahane gave signs of his return form on the second day of the second Test between India and West Indies here on Saturday (October 13).
In response to Windies 311, India reached 308 for 4 in 81 overs before the umpires signalled the close of day's play. Rahane (75*) and Pant (85*) are present at the crease with a solid 146-run partnership between them for the fifth wicket.
Both Pant and Rahane played their trademark cricket and denied the visitors any success in the third and final session of the day after the tourists bagged three important scalps in the second session.
India lost the wickets of well set Shaw (70), Pujara (10) and Kohli (45) in the post-lunch session to shift the momentum in the opposition's favour. But Pant and Rahane constructed their innings brilliantly and steered the side from troubled waters. The duo negotiated the pace from Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder and played the spinners Devendra Bishoo and Jomel Warrican equally well.
Rahane reached his career's 15th Test fifty with a single and ball later Pant - who found himself lucky on a couple of occasions - notched up his second Test fifty. The left-handed Pant - who was dismissed for 92 in the previous match - showed skill and didn't go after the bowlers to reach his century.
Openers Shaw and Lokesh Rahul looked to give India a positive start before the latter was dismissed for 4. However, by the time Rahul was dismissed, India reached 61 because young Shaw batted aggressively from the other end.
Shaw who looking headed for his second consecutive ton was dismissed for 70 by Warrican while trying to drive. Later, Kohli fell 5 short of a half-century after Holder trapped him in front.
Earlier, Umesh Yadav produced his Test career's best-ever performance with an impressive six-wicket haul to help India restrict West Indies to 311 in the first innings. Roston Chase completed his career's fourth Test century and guided his team to the 300-plus total before Umesh wreaked havoc with his pace bowling to get all three wickets on the second day.
Yadav (6/88) was the pick of the bowlers for India in the first innings and decimated the Windies batting attack. Yadav cleaned up overnight batsman Devendra Bishoo in the very first over and wrapped up Windies innings within 7 overs of the days play.
Roston Chase notched up his first century on the Indian soil but failed to convert it into a big knock and was finally dismissed for 106 by Yadav. On the very next ball, Yadav got rid of Shannon Gabriel for duck and ended the Windies innings.
Earlier, debutant Shardul Thakur left the field early and was unable to return due to a groin injury, but some poor shot selections left the Windies up against it at 182-6. Thakur has been ruled out of the match due to a groin injury.
As the match happened:
Prithvi Shaw - I was just trying to play my natural game, but unfortunately couldn't make it big, couldn't place the drive. I just wanted to play my natural game and play on merit. I don't want to think too much, don't want to get confused and get blank in my mind. Gabriel and Holder were bowling with good pace, I wasn't trying to hit too hard, just looking for gaps, the ball wasn't swinging a lot, I was trying to place the balls in vacant areas. I was trying to hit it to the left of the fielder, but I didn't get close to the ball, was trying to play on the up (on his dismissal). I will not look to repeat this mistake once again. I can't brood about this dismissal, I will start from zero once again, it was a silly shot which I will try to avoid in the next innings, will not try to do differently in the next innings.
Stumps! India end the days' play at 308/4 after 81 overs. The third session was dominated by Ajinkya Rahane (75*) and Rishabh Pant (85*) are present into the middle as India trail by 3 runs. Windies tried hard but they failed to break the partnership between Pant and Rahane which is worth 146* now.
India have reached 306/4 after 80 overs. 2nd new ball is available but the tourists haven't taken it as just one over is remaining for stumps.
300 comes up for the hosts and they are just 11 runs short of Windies first innings' total of 311.
India have reached 297/4 after 76 overs. Pant - 81*, Rahane - 69* have stitched a partnership of 135 for the fifth wicket.
Pant is the fifth Wicketkeeper to hit 80+ in three consecutive innings after Alan Knott, Denis Lindsay, Matt Prior & Adam Gilchrist.
India have reached 292/4 after 75 overs. The partnership between Pant and Rahane is worth 131.
Fifty! Rishabh Pant has also notched up his half-century with a single. This is his 2nd fifty and second consecutive.
Fifty! Ajinkya Rahane brings up his career's 15th Test half-century off 122 balls.
First fifty for Rahane after 10 innings in Tests in India. His last fifty - 52 v Australia in March 2017. #INDvWI
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) October 13, 2018
India reach 230/4 after 60 overs. Pant - 43* and Rahane - 40* have forged a crucial 68-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
200 comes up for India with a boundary off Pant's bat. The southpaw got a breather on that delivery as the wicketkeeper failed to pouch the knick from his bat. Pant moves on to 28 but needs to bat with caution because India are still under pressure in this innings. They are still trail by 110 runs.
Too many extras conceded by West Indies bowlers.
Windies have conceded 16 extras out of the 173 in this innings. India on the other hand, had conceded 11 extras out of the 311. The trend for the Windies has been consistent in the Tests they've played this year. #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/f12GBM2hXO
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) October 13, 2018
Play resumes after tea break and the Indian dressing room would hope they have a better show in the final session because the tourists are in control at the moment. If Windies manage to get a couple of wickets quickly then the hosts will be pushed to the walls. Pant and Rahane are out into the middle for India.
Tea break! India are 173/4 after 47 overs. Ajinkya Rahane - 19* and Rishabh Pant - 9* are present into the middle. Windies have dominated the second session as they've picked up 3 crucial wickets in this session as India are 138 runs behind them. The hosts have a big task ahead in the third session.
Big wicket for Windies.
Big breakthrough for Windies. Kohli looked in total command till he missed one from Holder, playing across the line. Couple of more wickets and India could be under duress. All eyes on young Pant, but this is the occasion for Rahane to play the Big Knock
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 13, 2018
Wicket! Virat Kohli - the in-form batsman - has been trapped LBW by Windies captain Jason Holder and on what time? Kohli departs for 45 and the partnership between him and Rahane has been broken. India have lost their 4th wicket as #DRS too couldn't rescue Kohli. The visitors would look to dominate the hosts now.
Four! Kohli gets a boundary on the penultimate ball of Devendra Bishoo's over and notched up 50-run stand between him and Rahane. India - 153/3 after 38 overs.
West Indies bowlers have put some brake on the flow of runs after getting the wickets of Shaw and Pujara. India have reached 133/3 after 30 overs with Kohli and Rahane into the middle.
Wicket! Cheteshwar Pujara departs quickly after Shaw. The right-handed batsman edged the ball going away from him and the keeper pouched it comfortably. Gabriel gets a wicket too. India - 102/3.
Kohli gets off the mark with a single and that also brought 100 for India for the loss of 2 wickets.
Wicket! Prithvi Shaw is dismissed for 70 as he goes for an uppish drive and fails to find the gap and Hetmyer takes a simple catch. India lost their 2nd wicket for 98.
Shaw and Pujara resume innings in the post-lunch session and they would look to cement another big partnership between them.
Shaw has been nimble with his footwork today on this way to his second 50+ score in as many games. He has dominated the spinners scoring predominantly on the on-side and has preferred scoring behind square on the off-side against pacers. #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/dpaPYtwksm
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) October 13, 2018
It's Lunch Time at Hyderabad! India are 80/1 in 16 overs in response to Windies 311. India have lost the wicket of struggling KL Rahul (4) early on but the teenage prodigy has batted well.
That's Lunch on Day 2 of the 2nd Test.#TeamIndia 80/1, trail Windies 311 by 231 runs.
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 13, 2018
Updates - https://t.co/U21NN9m6XC #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/pH1XcqGQRs
Prithvi joins another elite list!
50+ scores in first two inngs for India (Tests):
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 13, 2018
Dilawar Hussain
AG Kripal Singh
S Gavaskar
S Ganguly
R Dravid
S Raina
Rohit Sharma
PRITHVI SHAW#INDvWI
A comparison of Shaw's two fifties!
Prithvi Shaw:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 13, 2018
1st Test:
50 off 56 balls
100 off 99 balls
2nd Test:
50 off 39 balls#IndvWI
That's fifty for Shaw! The Prithvi Shaw 'show' continues as the 18-year-old brings up his half-century off 39 deliveries. The teenage sensation is looking in sublime touch and playing his trademark aggressive brand of cricket.
FIFTY!@PrithviShaw brings up his half-century off 39 deliveries in the 2nd Test at Hyderabad.
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 13, 2018
Updates - https://t.co/U21NN9DHPa @Paytm #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/r8Ykomtocd
India have reached 72 for the loss of 1 wicket after 12 overs. Prithvi Shaw survived for 45 in that over and he would aim not to repeat such mistakes. Cheteshwar Pujara is present on the other end for 5*.
Wicket! KL Rahul's poor form against Windies continues as he's been dismissed for 4 by Jason Holder. The ball came inside and the batsman looked to defend it but plays it on to the stumps. India lose their first wicket for 61 in the 9th over itself.
10 out of KL Rahul's last 12 dismissals (83.3%) against pacers have either been bowler or lbw. Prior to that, only 7 out his 22 dismissals (31.8%) against pacers came in that mode. #INDvWI
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) October 13, 2018
4,4,4! Back-to-back boundaries from Prithvi Shaw and he races away into 40s.
India reach 24/0 after 3 overs. This has been an explosive start from the Indians thanks to the aggressive intent from Prithvi Shaw. Meanwhile, Windies stumper Shane Dowrich hurt his knee while fielding and has been escorted out of the ground.