India lead by 89 runs with 10 wickets in hand at Lunch

Aug 24 (CRICKETNMORE) India ensured that they remain firmly in control of their first Test against West Indies by taking an 89-run lead in the first session of Day 3. After dismissing West Indies for 222, KL Rahul (6) and Mayank Agarwal (8) played out seven overs and put up 14 runs on the board before umpires called for Lunch.

Earlier in the day, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja got the final two West Indies wickets. India were frustrated by Holder and Cummins for much of the early part of the first session. Ravindra Jadeja seemed to have got his second wicket of the innings when the umpire raised his finger for a caught behind appeal against Cummins. However, the latter reviewed that decision and replays showed that there was clear daylight between bat and ball. 

But India got the breakthrough an over later, when Mohammed Shami got a nick off Holder. There was no doubting the decision this time and Holder walked having made 39 off 65 balls. 

The West Indies innings did not last long after that, with Jadeja dismissing Cummins off the first ball of the next over. Cummins fell for the fifth longest duck in terms of balls faced in Test history. 

India will be looking to avoid another top order collapse when they take the field with a lead of 75 runs. While India did score 297 in the first innings, much of it was due to a middle and lower middle order fightback led by Ajinkya Rahane and Jadeja after a top order collapse. 

Brief scores: India 297 (Rahane 81, Jadeja 58, Rahul 44, Roach 4/66) & 14/0; West Indies 222 (Roston Chase 48, Jason Holder 39, Ishant Sharma 5/43)