Day One was defined by the brilliance of India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj. The Hyderabad pacer bowled relentlessly, finishing with 4-40 from 14 overs and completely unsettling the West Indies top order.
Siraj’s arsenal, including his signature scrambled seam deliveries, proved too clever for the visitors’ batters. Jasprit Bumrah, bowling on home turf, recovered his rhythm to exploit reverse swing and clean up the tail, achieving a landmark of 50 Test wickets in India.
Kuldeep Yadav, making his comeback after over a year, provided a highlight by dismissing Shai Hope with a delivery that combined drift, dip, and turn.
West Indies were bowled out for 162, giving India a clear advantage heading into their first innings. India’s reply began cautiously, with KL Rahul steady at the crease, guiding the young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rahul’s 53 not out showcased both composure and mentorship, helping Jaiswal find rhythm after an initial tentative start.
Their partnership of 68 runs underlined India’s depth and preparation, even in a transitional team missing experienced names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R Ashwin.
With Shubman Gill leading the side and the young batting unit gaining confidence, India looks well-positioned to dictate terms on Day Two. Follow this live blog for ball-by-ball updates, expert analysis, training insights, and key moments from a day where India’s bowlers set the tone and the top order laid the foundation for a commanding position in the opening Test of the home season.
Playing XIs:
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kl Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrahaj Siraj
West Indies: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase (c), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Jayden Seales