India 288/4 thanks to Kohli unbeaten 87

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port of Spain. In his 500th international appearance for India, former skipper Virat Kohli held the Indian fort together as he has done on so many occasions before, leading India to 288/4 at stumps on the opening day of the second and final Test against the West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval here on Thursday.

Kohli, who was India’s fifth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket and inching closer to overtaking VVS Laxman (8781) in fourth place, was batting on 87 at the end of play on Thursday and started the morning well to help India out of a tight spot.

Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and elected to bowl, made a spectacular comeback in the second session and helped his side restrict India to 182/4 at tea.

But Kohli took control of the innings and put on 102 runs in an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Kohli was playing on 87 and Jadeja on 30 at stumps.

Kohli has so far faced 161 balls in his cautious and crucial innings, hitting eight fours at a strike rate of 54.3.

The 34-year-old Kohli was on 18 when India lost Ajinkya Rahane at tea and the visitors were 182/4. He completed his 30th half-century in Test cricket by hitting 6 fours in 97 balls. He and Jadeja added 50 runs in 94 balls for the fifth wicket partnership and then crossed the 100-run mark in just 162 balls.

With him at the crease, India will be hoping to post a total of 400 to put West Indies under pressure in the first innings and snatch the initiative from the hosts as they look to win the two-match series 2-0 and start their campaign in the 2023-23 World Test Championship season on a positive note.

Earlier, openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal looked almost calm in the first session and scored their fifties. Rohit Sharma was the first player to reach his half-century in 74 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) and Jaiswal, who scored a century on his maiden Test innings in the first match of the series last week, reached the half-century milestone off 49 balls as he hit eight fours and a six.

However, the story was very different in the second session as four West Indies bowlers took one wicket each to ensure that India were in trouble before the tea break.

India’s opening wicket fell for 139 when Jaiswal was dismissed for 57 off 74 balls by Jason Holder, the only bowler to look dangerous in the first session.

Rohit got a fine ball from Jomel Warrican and was dismissed for 80 off 143 balls, after which Shubman Gill once again failed to impress and was dismissed for 10.

Virat Kohli, playing his 111th Test for India, took 21 balls to leave his mark with a brilliant shot on the ground. He grew in confidence as the day progressed and played some scintillating shots to help India recover from a crunch situation.

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (8) was dismissed in the last over before tea, dealing a blow to India. However, Kohli and Jadeja ensured that India did not lose any wickets in the final session and ended the day in a promising position.

Brief scores: India 288/4 in 84 overs against West Indies (Rohit Sharma 80, Yashasvi Jaiswal 57, Virat Kohli 87 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 30 not out; Shannon Gabriel 1-50, Jason Holder 1-30) (IANS)

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