Rahane strikes hundred, India take 304-run lead

Rahane strokes his way to an unbeaten 50 as Kohli's men build huge lead

Ajinkya Rahane carved out his seventh Test hundred before India's declaration at 500 for nine and subsequent rain led to early tea on day three of the second Test against the West Indies here today.

Rain interrupted proceedings for just over an hour in the post-lunch session. Rahane (108* off 237 balls) was at the crease as the visitors declared their first innings at 500/9 with early tea taken after a second rain interruption. India lead by 304 runs after West Indies were bowled out for 196 runs in their first innings.

Post lunch, Amit Mishra (21) had joined Rahane and the leg spinner looked for some quick runs, smacking Devendra Bishoo for a six. The pacers were brought on almost immediately to block any plans of quick scoring on part of the batsmen. Even so, the 450-mark came up in the 161st over, as also the 250-lead. Thereafter, rain came down, as the threat of tropical storm Earl still looms large on the match.

After an hour, the game restarted with just about 25 minutes to play until tea. In this interim, the West Indies got a couple quick wickets, as Roston Chase (5-121) removed Mishra, caught at short leg, and then bowled Mohammed Shami (0) first ball. Yadav avoided the hat trick, even as Rahane tried to speed up to his hundred, smacking Chase for a six.

The session had been extended, as Kraigg Brathwaite (0-40) came on to bowl, and both Rahane and Yadav went in for quick runs. In doing so, the Indian vice-captain completed his hundred off 231 balls. The latter though was out, hitting the ball high in the air and was caught at short midwicket, as Chase completed his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests.

India declared their innings closed thereafter, leaving about 40 minutes for the West Indies to play out before the break, but rain intervened again and an early tea was taken.

Earlier, the West Indies struck at stroke of lunch to leave India at 425/6. The West Indies bowlers gave a tough time to Rahane and Wriddhiman Saha (47) before home team captain Jason Holder trapped the wicket-keeper batsman in front of the stumps on the cusp of lunch to end the 98-run stand.

India ended up losing a wicket in the morning session, collecting 67 runs in 26.4 overs.

Starting the day from overnight 358/5, Rahane and Saha looked to get settled in and push the lead as further as possible, while keeping in the possibility of rain later in the match as a tropical storm builds up in the Caribbean Sea.

The day started bright and sunny though, and Rahane quickly got to his Test fifty off 93 balls.

Shanon Gabriel (1-62) and Miguel Cummins (0-74) bowled well in the first hour of play, as the West Indies continued their ploy of bowling tight and not giving away easy runs to the batsmen. Only 34 runs came in the first hour of the morning, and thereafter Devendra Bishoo (1-95) and Holder came on to bowl. That is when Rahane’s troubles started as the skipper mixed his incoming and out-swinging deliveries well, and troubled the set batsman.

Rahane was beaten a couple times, and there were other interesting LBW shouts against him, but he stayed put at the crease. He was frustrated though, and the good spell induced an edge in the 147th over off Bishoo, but Rajendra Chandrika dropped him at backward point. He was on 65* at that time, and yet managed to survive this period of play and went into the break unbeaten, trying to break the shackles with two boundaries in the 148th over.

The 400-mark had come up for India in the 141st over, as well as the lead crossed the 200-mark. However, the effects could be seen at the other end too, as the run scoring was tightened up further and Saha was in some trouble too. Holder then finally got some reward for bowling tight when he trapped the keeper-batsman LBW just before lunch, his first wicket in this series.