Ishant's late surge gives India the edge

A late burst by Ishant Sharma earned him a five-wicket haul and reduced the West Indies to 8-189 in reply to India's first innings total of 297 at the close of the second day of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Ten days away from his 31st birthday, the gangling Sharma ended the day with 5-42 off 12 overs, figures which were enhanced considerably in the final half-hour of a long day when he was single-handedly responsible for the home side losing three wickets for five runs to tilt a fairly even contest very much in favour of the tourists.

He dismissed Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Kemar Roach in the space of 13 deliveries to change the complexion of the West Indies innings from the relative comfort of 5-174.

Captain Jason Holder will therefore only have Miguel Cummins and last man Shannon Gabriel potentially for company on the third morning, with India pressing for what could be a significant first innings advantage.

Sharma and Mohammed Shami were the first to strike at the start of the West Indies innings after lunch, removing openers John Campbell and Kraigg Brathwaite after a bright start before Ravindra Jadeja added to what was already an excellent day for the allrounder when he claimed the wicket of debutant Shamarh Brooks.

Jadeja had played the key role in extending India's first innings as they were eventually dismissed on the stroke of lunch, the left-hander playing the dominant role as India added another 94 runs from their overnight position of 6-203.

He was last out for 58, top-edging an attempted pull off Holder to give wicketkeeper Hope his fifth catch of the innings.

Roach was the best of the West Indies bowlers with figures of 4- 66 while fellow fast bowler Gabriel claimed 3-71.

Any hopes the hosts entertained of quickly polishing off the tourists' innings on Friday were frustrated by Sharma, who defied the West Indies for over an hour in contributing 19 to a 60-run eighth-wicket partnership with Jadeja.

Jadeja’s half-century, his 11th in Test cricket, spanned three hours and 112 deliveries, highlighted by six fours and one six.

After India took three wickets after lunch, more success followed in the final session when Darren Bravo was trapped leg-before by Jasprit Bumrah, and then after putting on 42 runs for the fifth wicket with Hope, Roston Chase was taken a short mid-wicket by K.L. Rahul off Sharma in the first over of a new spell.

But it got even better for the paceman in the extra period played to make up for time lost through rain on the first day.

He had Hope well caught low down by Pant, then came up with an even more impressive caught-and-bowled to get rid of Hetmyer before having Roach taken by captain Virat Kohli at second slip in the same over.