India close in on Test series sweep despite West Indies fightback

AFP | New Delhi

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India closed in on a 2-0 series sweep in the second Test despite some spirited West Indies batting led by centuries from John Campbell and Shai Hope yesterday.

Needing 121 for victory after bowling out the West Indies for 390, the hosts reached 63-1 at stumps on day four at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

KL Rahul, on 25, and Sai Sudharsan, on 30, were batting in a stand of 54 at close of an absorbing day’s play.

Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early for eight after left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had the Indian opener caught at long-on while attempting an ambitious heave.

Rahul and the left-handed Sudharsan steadied the ship and the pair kept up the scoring with singles and occasional boundaries against a persistent West Indies spin attack.

Earlier, Justin Greaves with an unbeaten 50 and Jayden Seales (32) put on 79 runs for the final wicket to frustrate India after the West Indies slipped to 311-9 in the second session.

Greaves and the left-handed number 10 defied the bowlers for 133 deliveries with straightbat shots before Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Seales in the final session for his third wicket.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also took three wickets to add to his five-wicket haul in the West Indies’ first innings.

Campbell (115) and Hope (103) had steered the West Indies into the lead after the tourists resumed the day on 173-2 while following on.

“I think it’s a big positive for us,” Campbell said of their fightback. “Having not gotten the best first innings, we came out second innings and batted over 100 overs, so that’s a big plus for us.” The left-right batting pair of Campbell and Hope put on 177 runs for the third wicket.

Opener Campbell reached his first Test ton with a six off Ravindra Jadeja before the leftarm spinner trapped him lbw in the morning session.

Hope kept up the charge after lunch and reached his first Test hundred in eight years with a boundary off pace bowler Mohammed Siraj.