(Reuters) – Virat Kohli forged a century partnership with Ravindra Jadeja for the unbroken fifth wicket to steer India to 288-4 on the opening day of the second test against West Indies in Port of Spain on Thursday.
An opening stand of 139 between skipper Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave India a strong start after being put into bat at the Queen’s Park Oval.
But they lost four wickets in the second session to nearly squander the strong start before Kohli and Jadeja combined in a 106-run partnership to steady the innings.
Kohli, playing in his 500th international game, was batting on 87 in with Jadeja on 36 at the other end.
Both Rohit and Jaiswal had smashed hundreds in the opening test in Roseau, where India triumphed inside three days to go 1-0 up in the two-test series, and they picked up right where they left off.
India scored at a rate of nearly five an over in the first session with both openers bringing up their half-centuries before Jason Holder broke the stand when he had Jaiswal caught in the gully for 57.
Shubman Gill continued to struggle at his chosen number three slot. After making only six in Roseau he reached 10 on Thursday before being caught behind to Kemar Roach.
Spinner Jomel Warrican denied Rohit (80) his hundred and Ajinkya Rahane (eight) dragged a ball from Shannon Gabriel on to his stumps as India slumped to 182-4.
Kohli took 21 balls to get off the mark and was watchful throughout his knock which contained eight fours.
Jaiswal, who hit 171 in his test debut at Roseau, could not hide his disappointment after missing out on a second successive century.
“Of course I am disappointed, but it happens in cricket,” the 21-year-old left-handed batsman told reporters.
“I just need to keep learning and keep thinking how I can do better in my next innings.”
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)
