India close in on innings win with West Indies 66-5 in first Test / Photo: R. Satish BABU - AFP
India close in on innings win with West Indies 66-5 in first Test
Spinner Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets as India closed in on an innings victory with West Indies in deep trouble on 66-5 at lunch on day three of the first Test on Saturday.
India declared on their overnight 448-5, a lead of 286, and then rattled West Indies with regular strikes at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
West Indies still trail by 220 runs in their second innings with Alick Athanaze on 27 and Justin Greaves (10) batting for survival.
Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj struck early to get Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught out for eight at square leg with Nitish Kumar Reddy taking a good diving catch to his left.
Left-arm spinner Jadeja had the other opener John Campbell out for 14 as West Indies once again struggled with the bat after their first-innings total of 162.
Wickets kept tumbling as Kuldeep Yadav bowled skipper Roston Chase for one and Jadeja sent back wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope for the same measly score.
KL Rahul led India's batting dominance with his 100 before Dhruv Jurel, who made 125, and Jadeja, unbeaten on 104, put on a marathon fifth-wicket stand of 206 on Friday.
The West Indies have struggled in the absence of premier fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, both ruled out ahead of the series with injury.
India are strong favourites to win 2-0 against an opposition that is a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.
O.Friedrich--VZ
