India leave Windies reeling
Kohli quickest since the DonIndia captain Virat Kohli became the quickest batsman to reach 24 Test centuries after the great Donald Bradman early on Day Two against the West Indies on Friday. Kohli reached his 24th century in his 123rd innings, while Australia's Bradman took just 66 knocks to achieve the same feat. The Indian skipper also surpassed Australia's Steve Smith to go second in the list of centurions among active players, behind South Africa's Hashim Amla on 28. |
Indian bowlers rattled the West Indies first-innings reply after Ravindra Jadeja smashed his maiden international century as the hosts got a firm grip over the first Test on Friday.
The tourists were tottering at 94 for six at stumps, trailing India by 555 runs in their first innings on day two in Rajkot. Roston Chase, on 27, and Keemo Paul, on 13, were batting at close of play.
But it was the Indian batting that made the world's top side so dominant as they posted their highest total against the West Indies after declaring on 649-9 at tea. Skipper Virat Kohli hit a landmark ton, top-scoring with 139.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami then struck early to get the two West Indian openers back in the pavilion for seven runs including stand-in-skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for two.
But Jadeja remained the star of the day after making an unbeaten 100. The left-handed batsman stuck around with the lower-order to demolish a toothless West Indian attack.
"Obviously after nine years of international cricket I am scoring a hundred, so it is a special moment," Jadeja, who made his international debut in 2009 and played his first Test in 2012, said.
"Whenever I reached 70-80 in the past I thought about my hundred, but threw my wicket away. I have made big hundreds in the domestic circuit, so I thought I can get hundreds in the international level too."
Jadeja -- playing his 38th Test -- also got a wicket after sending back Sunil Ambris, who had scored 114 not out in his side's only tour game last week, for 12.
The all-rounder though had a near-miss moment on the field when he playfully waited to run out Shimron Hetmyer who was scampering back to reach the non-striker's end.
KOHLI BEHIND BRADMAN
Earlier Kohli became the quickest batsman to reach 24 Test centuries since the great Donald Bradman in the morning session.
Kohli put together 133 runs for the fifth wicket with overnight partner Rishabh Pant, who made a quickfire 92.
Kohli, who started on his overnight score of 72, got to his hundred in his 123rd innings with a boundary off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo. Bradman took just 66 innings to achieve the same feat.
SCORES IN BRRIEF
INDIA: 649 for 9 decl (Shaw 134, Pujara 86, Kohli 139, Rahane 41, Pant 92, Jadeja 100 not out; Lewis 2-93, Bishoo 4-217)
WEST INDIES: 94 for 6 (Chase 27 not out, Paul 13 not out; Shami 2-11)