Rahane century puts India in total control

A masterful ton by Ajinkya Rahane has put India into an unconquerable position after day three of the second Test against the West Indies in Jamaica.

Rahane remained unbeaten on 108 as India declared their first innings on 9-500, an overall lead of 304. The hosts will begin their reply on the fourth morning after persistent showers washed out the final session of play.

Rahane's unbeaten century was his seventh Test ton and his third in four innings. Playing in his 24th Test match, Rahane has now scored centuries in six of the nine Test playing nations (India, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies and England).  It was also the eighth consecutive Test series where Rahane has played at least one innings of 90 or more runs, starting from India’s tour of South Africa in 2013-14.

Resuming on his overnight score of 42, Rahane and Wridhiman Saha set about building on India’s lead with some determined batting.  Paceman Shannon Gabriel was again outstanding in his first spell, beating the bat on several occasions and touching speeds in excess of 145kph on a regular basis.

Unfortunately for Gabriel, he lacked support from the other end, as both Miguel Cummins and Jason Holder continued to err in line and length.  Rahane deposited a short ball over backward-point to bring up his half-century and then brought up the 50 partnership with Saha with a stupendous cover drive.

Saha welcomed leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo to the bowling crease by cutting him to the fence to take India past 400.  In the lead up to lunch, Rahane was reprieved as Rajendra Chandrika failed to snaffle a simple catch at point off the bowling of Bishoo.

It proved to be costly miss as Rahane thumped Holder to the fence twice in the next over. But on the stroke of lunch the West Indies finally had some luck, with Holder trapping Saha (47) in front of his stumps, as India went to the break on 6-425.

The second session was interrupted by rain as India looked to up the tempo.  Amit Mishra tried a few innovative shots while Rahane kept accumulating by manoeuvring the ball into gaps.

Closing in on his century, Rahane saw Mishra (21) and Mohammad Shami (0) depart to successive deliveries, both undone by off-break bowler Roston Chase.  

Running the risk of losing all his partners before reaching his hundred, Rahane launched Chase over extra cover for a maximum to go to 95. He reached his seventh Test century with a streaky outside edge that ran along the ground between keeper and slip, off the bowling of Chase.  The century came from 231 balls with 13 fours and three delightful sixes.

Umesh Yadav (19) struck a few powerful blows before holding out to deep midwicket, to give Chase his maiden five-wicket haul.  The ninth wicket brought about the declaration and it also brought the rain causing the final session to be washed out. 

More rain is forecast on day four and the West Indies will need all the luck if they are to salvage a draw from this precarious position. 

Day Two report

A scintillating century by opener KL Rahul ensured India continued their dominance in the second Test against West Indies in Jamaica.

Rahul scored his third Test ton in just his sixth Test as he guided India to a score of 5-358 at stumps, an overall lead of 162.

Report & Highlights: All the day one action

Rahul, who scored a century in just his second Test against Australia in Sydney in 2015, achieved a career best score of 158, which was also the highest score by an India player in his maiden Test innings in the West Indies, surpassing the 130 made by Polly Umrigar in 1952-53.

Incredibly, the right-hander has scored more than 16 just three times in 11 Test innings to date and has posted a century on all three occasions. In addition to his hundreds in Jamaica and Sydney, and his 108 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year, Rahul has posted scores of 3, 1, 16, 7, 5, 2, 2 and 2.

He was recalled for this match after regular opener Murali Vijay was ruled out with injury

Resuming on 1-126, Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara were extremely cautious in the first hour as the West Indies seamers found the right length and managed to swing the ball in the humid conditions. It took Pujara 35 balls to add to his overnight score of 18, as India only managed to score 22 runs in the first 13 overs of play.

Image Id: ~/media/A63A43331A8D4DF99228BCA6B82C9448 Image Caption: Rahul was recalled for the injured Murali Vijay // Getty

The introduction of spin allowed Rahul to break the shackles as he used his feet to send the ball crashing through the off-side to move into ninties. And he wasted no time in reaching the three-figure landmark as he danced down the pitch and lifted the spinner handsomely over mid-wicket to reach his third Test ton  off 182 balls. Each of his three centuries have come outside of India.

Rahul's aggression seemed to rub off on his partner with Pujara also finding the ropes with a majestic on-drive followed by a delightful cut shot from pacer Miguel Cummins. Despite a few close shaves the pair got through to lunch unscathed with a score reading 1-185.

The pair continued to bat conservatively after lunch as the West Indian bowlers restricted their scoring opportunities with some disciplined bowling.

On 46, Pujara pushed for a quick single and his gamble resulted in run-out with a direct hit from square leg finding him a metre short at the non-strikers end. Roston Chase's sharp work broke the 121-run partnership and also brought Virat Kohli to the crease.

With the ball gripping on a well-grassed surface, Kohli and Rahul were constantly tested by deliveries that jumped awkwardly from a length from both the spinners and the fast bowlers. Apart from a couple of half-trackers by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and gentle half-volleys by skipper Jason Holder, the pair was rarely presented any gifts by the hosts.

But despite the slow scoring rate and with the second new ball available, Holder opted to continue with the old ball. Kohli and Rahul seized on this opportunity by smacking the spinners with assured footwork and clever placement.

Despite battling cramps, Rahul continued to use the depth of the crease with great effect as he manoeuvred the ball beautifully across vast spaces on the leg-side.

On the stroke of tea, Kohli drove Brathwaite emphatically through the covers and Rahul reached his 150 by nudging an off-break from Chase into the off side to help extend India’s lead to 63 at tea. 

West Indies finally took the second new ball after the break and had immediate success with Rahul gloving a short ball down the leg-side to be acrobatically caught by keeper Shane Dowrich. Umpires were initially unsure if the ball carried but replays confirmed the dismissal to end Rahul's marathon innings on 158, a knock full of patience and determination as well as some classy stroke-play.

Image Id: ~/media/BEAC2122BED54FE9A4B017F3F33535EB Image Caption: The West Indies toiled hard but are on the back foot // Getty

The wicket of Rahul seemed to bring out the best in Kohli, the skipper ruthless against the spinners, smashing three fours and a six in the next few overs as India crossed the 300 mark. But on 44, Kohli was undone by a sharp bouncing off-break from Chase that he hit straight to short-leg as he tried to turn the ball into the leg-side.

No.5 Ajinkya Rahane took some calculated risks but soon lost his new partner Ravichandran Ashwin for two, trapped plumb in front to a Bishoo full-toss.

Rahane (42) and Wriddhiman Saha (17) negotiated the late burst from Shannon Gabriel safely as India went to stumps on 5-357, another tough day for the Windies compounded by a hamstring injury to fast man Miguel Cummins.