India thoroughly dominated Day 1 of the Test series against the West Indies. The first Test of the 2-Test series kick-started on Wednesday in Dominica.
Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and elected to bat first, but that toss was the only thing that went the hosts’ way, otherwise it all, throughout the day, that the visitors made moves and the hosts succumbed to it, now needing a miracle just after Day 1 to escape from a loss.
Back in the side after being dropped from the WTC Final, R Ashwin started the proceedings, knocking over young left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul before dismissing Brathwaite. Shardul Thakur got in the act and got rid of Raymon Reifer, edging to wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan. Jadeja struck on the last ball before Lunch and dismissed Jermaine Blackwood courtesy of a jaw-dropping catch from Siraj.
After Lunch, Jadeja had Joshua Da Silva. Then, debutant Alick Athanaze and Jason Holder tried to put up some fight with their partnership of 41 (108). Mohammed Siraj broke the stand and R Ashwin and Jadeja cleaned things up to bowl West Indies out for only 150.
There was no strong response from the WI bowlers as well. India openers, captain Rohit Sharma and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal, eased their way to stumps unscathed at 80/0, hitting 9 fours and a six combined in the process.
Dinesh Karthik hailed Rohit Sharma for brilliant captaincy
When young Alick Athanaze and veteran Jason Holder were building a solid partnership, it was India captain Rohit Sharma who employed a terrific plan of asking his pacers Siraj and Shardul Thakur to bowl bouncers.
Even though the pitch was sluggish one and assisted spinners Ashwin and Jadeja significantly, to topple Holdr and Alick Athanaze, Rohit Sharma asked his fast bowlers to bowl bumpers at the two set batsman as their was some extra bounce in the surface as well.
Dinesh Karthik, who is currently with Cricbuzz as a Cricket expert in their show Cricbuzz Live, pointed this out and hailed Rohit Sharma’s masterplan. This superb planning worked very well as Siraj dismissed Holder with a short ball, caught at fine leg.
Dinesh Karthik said: “I think Rohit Sharma did something brilliant on Day 1, used the short ball tactics when things were going well with Holder – Athanaze partnership by bringing Siraj and got the wicket of Holder then Jadeja & Ashwin steamrolled West Indies”.
