‘It wasn’t easy to bat’

West Indies captain Jason Holder eventually won the battle with Indian counterpart Virat Kohli but the tourists were still well-placed at 264 for five at stumps on the opening day of the second and final Test of the series at Sabina Park on Friday.

Pursuing a victory which would lift him ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as his country’s most successful Test captain ever with 28 wins, apart from sweeping the two-match series of course, Kohli led a workmanlike effort from India’s top order with a carefully crafted innings of 76.

However, Hanuma Vihari (42 not out) and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant (27 not out) stayed together to the close to leave the home side with considerable work still to do in India’s first innings as they seek a series-levelling victory following a humiliating 318-run defeat in the first Test in Antigua a week earlier.

Opener Mayank Agarwal, who struck a well-crafted half-century, believes India are in a great position after opening day of the second Test.

“I thought (in) the first session, the ball was doing a bit. Kemar Roach and Holder bowled great areas. It wasn’t easy -- there was a lot of moisture and the ball was doing a bit,” Agarwal told reporters after the end of the day’s play.