3rd Test: India defeat West Indies by 237 run to win series

Indian-team-after-win
Indian team after their series win against West Indies at Darren Sammy Stadium. Image Source: WICB

Debasis Sen, Gros Islet: India completed a comfortable 237-run win over the West Indies on day five of the third Test in St. Lucia. At the Daren Sammy Stadium, the hosts were bowled out for 108 runs (47.3 overs) in their second innings, as the Indian team took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

Post lunch, Darren Bravo (59 runs, 100 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) and Roston Chase (10) looked to bat for time and resurrect the innings from a precarious 53/3. They faced a testing spell from Ishant Sharma (2-30) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-13) who were using the 20-over-old ball well enough. The former was pitching the ball up a lot more than he has done in this series and found instant result, as one swung in sharply in the 26th over, and knocked back Chase’s stumps, bowling him through the gate.

Four overs later, spinners were in the attack, and Jermaine Blackwood (1) was stumped off Ravindra Jadeja (2-20), as keeper Wriddhiman Saha did some excellent work. Shane Dowrich (5) then played out 8 overs with Bravo, though only adding 16 runs for the 6th wicket. It allowed Bravo enough breathing space to complete his 15th Test fifty off 73balls, but it wasn’t going to be enough. Mohammed Shami (3-15) then came back to bowl another brilliant spell to go with his pre-lunch one, and had the keeper-batsman caught at second slip.

R Ashwin (1-28) completed the all-round display from the bowlers, as first, he ran out Jason Holder (1) who was in a terrible mix-up with Bravo going for a non-existent run, and then Alzarri Joseph was caught in the 43rd over.

In between Shami bounced out Bravo yet again, the ball lobbing to Rohit Sharma at short leg, the fielder having spent the entire day chatting with the left-hander. Jadeja then returned to have Shannon Gabriel (11) caught at midwicket, and wrap up the series with one Test to go. Miguel Cummins (2*) was the unbeaten batsman.

In the morning, the visitors had declared their second innings at 217/7d (48 overs) as the hosts struggled in front of a 346-run target with 87 overs to bat. Kumar and Shami had started off proceedings, and the duo was right on the money with the new ball. While the former tied down the batsmen with some tight swing, the latter used pace to force them back.

It resulted in a double success in the space of four balls, as Shami had Leon Johnson (0) caught at forward short leg, with Rohit Sharma completing a good anticipatory catch in the 4th over. Four deliveries later, Kumar trapped Kraigg Brathwaite (4) LBW, even as the ball stayed low just a bit.

Marlon Samuels (12) then resisted for a short while and saw off the two bowlers, but he found Ishant Sharma (1-17) tough to handle as well. He played an uncharacteristic stroke to an incoming delivery and was bowled.

This was after India had declared their innings closed after 40 minutes of play in the morning session. Starting from the overnight 157/3, Rohit Sharma (41 runs, 59 balls, 1 four, 3 sixes) and Ajinkya Rahane (78*, 116 balls, 2 fours) came out looking for quick runs, but a poor LBW decision from umpire Nigel Llong ended the former’s stay after only two balls. There was a good inside edge, which the umpire failed to detect, and it wasn’t his only howler as Wriddhiman Saha (14) was adjudged caught behind off a massive no-ball. Llong didn’t even bother to go upstairs to the third umpire and the keeper-batsman was given his marching orders.

Miguel Cummins (6-48) benefitted on both occasions, and then picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket when Ravindra Jadeja (16) was caught at deep cover going for a big shot. R Ashwin (1) then became his 6th dismissal and the last batsman out for India, as skipper Virat Kohli decided that it was time to bowl.

On day one, India were reduced to 130/5 at one stage, after which R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha rescued the innings with an unbeaten century stand. On day two, the duo completed their respective hundreds, putting on 213 runs for the 6th wicket. India finished at 353 runs in their first innings. Afterwards, Kraigg Brathwaite struck an unbeaten half-century in a strong West Indies’ reply of 107/1.

Incessant rains had completely washed out day three. On day four, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 5-33 as the hosts were restricted to 225 all out, surrendering a lead of 128 runs and setting up the game for an intriguing finish on the final day.

India lead the four-match series 2-0, after winning the first Test in Antigua by an innings and 92 runs. The second Test in Jamaica was drawn.