Virat Kohli reached his first away century in five year
On Day 2 of the second Test in Port of Spain, India achieved a sizable total of 438 thanks to R Ashwin’s quick-fire 56, which came after a 159-run partnership between Virat Kohli (121) and Ravindra Jadeja (61).
Ashwin had to bat with the lower order for the majority of the second session on Friday (July 21), making it somewhat slow going for India.
However, he was able to make a significant contribution and score some quick runs toward the end of the session to help India pass the 400-run mark. The last four wickets that West Indies took for 45 runs showed that they would not let the tail wag for very long.
In Port-of-Spain, India put up 438 runs, with Virat Kohli scoring his maiden away Test century in over five years and Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin each contributing half-centuries. To dismiss India at the end of day two’s play, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican each reached for three wickets.
Alzarri Joseph’s athletic intervention forced Kohli to be dismissed for 121 just when he appeared to be turning his hundred into a huge one. Jadeja appeared to be on track to score a century of his own, but Roach saw him edging a drive behind to Joshua Da Silva for 61. In a span of five overs, the two overnight batsmen were out, but Ashwin managed the tail and helped India reach 450 for the total.
On day two, both the pitch and the outfield at Queen’s Park Oval had slowed down even more, but that didn’t stop Kohli from pinging the boundary with his powerful drives.
In his 500th international game, Kohli reached his 76th hundred on one of those drives that was smashed behind point off Shannon Gabriel. After attending three balls, Jadeja finally turned fifty and performed his famous sword dance to celebrate.
A Kohli drive off Jason Holder in the 92nd over was one of the candidates for the shot of the game.
Kohli first prepared to flick Holder’s half-volley through midwicket when it was delivered on the stumps, but he ended up half-flicking and half-driving it through mid-off with terrific authority. The middle stump at the non-striker’s end was destroyed by another drive that he executed with such accuracy.
Even though Jadeja was more cautious, he worked brilliantly with Kohli to catch singles and doubles off the West Indian fielders right in front of their eyes.
The 159-run fifth-wicket stand, though, came to an end when Kohli was run out after a moment of uncommon hesitancy between the wickets. With the ball at his square leg, Joseph pounced and took advantage of the opportunity. Following a positive review, Roach promptly fired Jadeja for 61.
In Port-of-Spain, Kishan, who had gone 19 balls without scoring on his Test debut in Dominica, got off to a more aggressive start by moving forward left-arm finger spinner Warrican and flinging the ball past him for four.
After lunch, newcomer Kirk McKenzie dropped Kishan as he misjudged his jump at short midwicket, giving Kishan a life. West Indies only lost four runs as a result of that mistake because Holder caught Kishan waving behind the following ball for 25.
After Gabriel had let Ashwin settle in with back-to-back drives, West Indies’ quicks put him to the test with short balls. However, Ashwin took advantage of the bounce and discovered scoring opportunities.
Ashwin leaned back and ramped Roach over slip for a pair of fours as he continued to knock it short, but not short enough, outside off. He then hit a four off a similar short ball from Roach to reach fifty. Roach pushed Ashwin over with his slower variation as he backed off and attempted to rustle up more boundaries with No. 11 Mukesh Kumar at his side.
Brief scores: India 438 (Virat Kohli 121, Rohit Sharma 80, Ravindra Jadeja 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 57, R Ashwin 56; Jomel Warrican 3-89, Kemar Roach 3-104) vs West Indies.