By: Sandipan Bose
India picked five batsmen in the playing XI for the Antigua Test against the West Indies. But in reality, seven of them were playing.
Besides Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and captain Virat Kohli, the visitors found two more batsmen in spin duo, Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra.
They piled more miseries to the West Indies bowling attack after Kohli completed his double hundred in Test cricket.
Frustration was the only word to explain how the West Indies bowlers felt while the Indian batsmen plundered runs without much of trouble. The West Indies’ poor fielding was another aspect of the game that ruined their chances to comeback strong into the Test match.
Yes, Kohli became the first Indian captain to score a double century in an overseas Test and all that, but surprise package of the Day 2 was Ashwin’s third Test century against the same opposition.
Clearly, he has a penchant for the Windies bowlers and almost looked like a VVS Laxman on the crease while executing a few on-side strokes.
The Antigua pitch also helped India’s cause. It was like art of minimum effort and maximum efficiency. The pitch wasn’t the same what it was in the first session of the opening day.
There was slow bounce and the batsmen had all the time in the world to play their strokes. Even Wriddhiman Saha got some runs and played an attractive innings.
So you can imagine what a batsman of Kohli’s caliber could do on a pitch like this. He could do no wrong and batted in his usual style – with a mix of caution and aggression.
Kohli was also very efficient and energetic to lead from the front. With India making their intention clear not to bat again in the Test, the hosts have some work to do. Perhaps, it will take a plenty of effort to keep the Indian bowlers at bay!
