India hand West Indies innings defeat in first Test

AHMEDABAD: Ravindra Jadeja backed his unbeaten century with a four-wicket haul in the second innings and powered India to an innings and 140-run victory over West Indies in the opening Test of the two-match series here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

The home side, who were 448/5 at the end of the second day’s play in response to West Indies’ 162, declared their first innings at the overnight score and put the visitors into bat at the start of the third day.

Trailing by 286 runs to avoid the innings defeat, the touring side could only accumulate 146 before being bowled out in 45.1 overs and suffered a massive loss.

In-form pacer Mohammed Siraj drew first blood for India in the eighth over when he got Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught at square leg.

Jadeja then added to the visitors’ woes by a triple strike, reducing them to 46/5 before Alick Athanaze and Justin Greaves fought back.

The duo batted sensibly under pressure to add 46 more to the West Indies’ total, but both perished in successive overs, leaving them reeling at 98/7.

Athanaze remained the top-scorer for West Indies with 38 off 74 deliveries, while Greaves made 25 from 52 balls.

The next-best run-getter for the touring side was their No.11 Jayden Seales, who scored a counterpunching 22 off 12 deliveries, comprising two sixes and a four.

Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers for India, taking four wickets for just 54 runs in 13 overs, followed by Siraj with three. Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with two scalps, while Washington Sundar made one.