India vs West Indies: Roston Chase is rescue act

Hyderabad: Poised for a ton, it was Roston who rescued West Indies after they were hammered by the hosts and struggling on the ropes midway through the opening day of the second Test here on Friday.

Having lost their top half at 113, the visitors were tottering at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium when Chase assumed the lead role and steadied the ship with a couple of powerful partnerships. By close of play, wind was back in the West Indian sails — 295/7 is an encouraging total for sure. Roston got 98 of them and is set for the fourth Test century of his career.

The 26-year-old displayed amazing application to stay strong in the middle and negotiate the initial turbulence in his 174-ball knock that contained seven boundaries and a soaring six.

Roston first stitched together a 69-run stand for the sixth wicket with Shane Dowrich, who made a patient 30 that included four boundaries and a maximum. It took a review from the hosts to break the strong stand. The umpire had initially ruled him not out on a vociferous leg before appeal off Umesh Yadav but TV replays showed the batsmen was in the red.

Chase then got into rescue act-2, with captain Jason Holder. The two put their heads down and prodded along to put on 104 runs for the seventh wicket that lent some respectability to the total. Holder held on, waiting for the right ones to score off as he played along. A backfoot punch here, a drive there and the runs flowed. He brought up his half-century with a pull off Umesh Yadav over midwicket that raced to the boundary.

Soon, Holder could not get hold of another rising one from the same bowler, and gloved a catch to gloveman Rishab Pant behind the stumps to walk back after making 52 that was embellished with six fours.

Earlier, the Windies had begun well. They won the toss and openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell put up a decent stand of 30 before the latter fell to the confusing spin of Kuldeep Yadav in the 12th over.

Next man Shai raised sufficient hope by staying on for a while as he contributed 36 to the team total before falling leg before to the other Yadav - pacer Umesh. Earlier, Brathwaite too was baffled by a Kuldeep delivery to be adjudged leg before wicket as the visitors went to lunch at an unsavoury 86 for 3.

Early exit
Shardul Thakur earned his Test cap but lasted only 10 balls before leaving the field due to groin strain, in the fourth over of the day. That meant local lad G. H. Vihari had the chance to be involved in the match as a substitute fielder at the ground he grew up playing competitive cricket.

Shardul conceded nine runs (including two boundaries to Powell) in his short stint before hobbling off the field.