India vs West Indies, Highlights, 1st Test, Day 1 at Antigua, Full Cricket Score: Heavy rain forces early stumps with India at 203-6

India v West Indies, 1st Test, Day-1:

Session – 1: 68/3 (24)
Session – 2: 66/1 (23.2)
Session – 3: 69/2 ( 21.3)

Ah, damp squib! The prospect of that intriguing final hour is blunted by rain in Antigua. Hard to pin-point a certain winner from Day 1 of the first Test, but West Indies ought to be the happier of the two sides considering Virat Kohli said India were looking to bat first. As I stated earlier, the fate of this contest could hinge on the length of the Pant-Jadeja association. They click and take India to 300, it’s advantage India; the partnership breaks early on Day 2 and the tail subsides, it’s advantage West Indies. The 11.1 overs before the new ball comes in could be tantalising, especially if this duo decides to cash in – assuming they last. Fun times ahead, rain go away!

That’s it! Rain has the final say as the stumps are called for the opening day by the Umpires. Great day at work for the West Indies, right from winning the toss to picking up early wickets and then regularly striking it to ensure they hold a firm grip on the match. Kemar Roach was the pick of the bowlers with three crucial wickets, well supported by fellow paceman Shannon Gabriel. Ajinkya Rahane stitched important partnerships with KL Rahul and then Hanuma Vihari and as he compiled a solid knock of 81 before chopping Gabriel’s delivery onto his stumps. Pant and Jadeja will have their work cut out for the second day.

The covers are taken off with the rain relenting after a passing shower. The umpires have gathered and are discussing the possibilty of any further play. Yikes! The rain is back on and so does the groundsmen coming running in with the covers towards the pitch. That might hamper the proceedings big time, there is no official word yet but it seems it might be slightly difficult to resume play.

Rain halts play for the second time in the day

After 68.5 overs,India 203/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 20 , Ravindra Jadeja 3)

Tricky time for Pant and Jadeja to survive. There is a lot of movement around the fence. So much so that the groundsmen have ran onto the ground much to umpire’s disliking as only one ball was remaining in Chase’s over. Umpire Kettleborough sends them back but the rain has started to come down heavily and now the players are going off (LOL). Proper scenes at the ground. So that leaves us with one ball short of the 69th over before the play is halted by another rain break.

After 68 overs,India 203/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 20 , Ravindra Jadeja 3)

Holder lines up his second consecutive overs. Ian Bishop on air says “inclement weather is imminent” and reckons we have couple of minutes before another stoppage in play.

After 67 overs,India 203/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 20 , Ravindra Jadeja 3)

Tight over from Roston Chase. Hasn’t been many by the off-spinner today. Just a single from the over. Wind just starting to pick up pace at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium.

Could be a match-defining final hour’s play on the opening day at Antigua. If Pant and Jadeja can curb their flashy instincts (which they have done so far) and India get to stumps without any further dents, they can dream about 300 tomorrow. If any one of them go – and with a looming second new ball – the hosts might not take long to deal with the tail, and if India are to score under 250, West Indies will have certainly won the day.

After 66 overs,India 202/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 20 , Ravindra Jadeja 2)
 

Holder with a sharp lifter that takes off from short of a length on middle stump which whizzes past Pant’s gloves who was chasing the line of the ball. Pant carefully plays out a maiden. Still some time before the second new ball – 14 overs to go.

After 65 overs,India 202/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 20 , Ravindra Jadeja 2)

Pant moves to 20 with the help of his fourth boundary. The four brought up the 200 for India. Couple of singles on either side of the boundary with Jadeja seeing out the second half of Chase’s over.

FOUR! Tossed up and way outside off from Chase – exactly the place where not to bowl to Rishabh Pant. Smashes it over cover for a boundary

After 64 overs,India 196/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 15 , Ravindra Jadeja 1)

Jason Holder comes back on to bowl. Pant knows now is time to cash in, having seen off the bowling of Roach and Gabriel. With a couple of off drives, Pant adds six more runs via a four and brace to his name. India approach the 200-run mark. Drinks taken.

FOUR! A little too full outside off and Pant has an affinity for width. He presses forward and drives it gloriously in the cover gap for a boundary

After 63 overs,India 190/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 9 , Ravindra Jadeja 1)

Roach deliveries a maiden now. Jadeja and Pant doing the right thing by seeing the two strike bowlers out as they recognise they are approaching the end of their spell. Jadeja plays out this one without much ado.

After 62 overs,India 190/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 9 , Ravindra Jadeja 1)

Pant edges it short of slip cordon off the first ball of Gabriel’s over. There was a big shout for a leg before appeal but replays show it was pitched outside leg. A maiden for Gabriel.

After 61 overs,India 190/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 9 , Ravindra Jadeja 1)

Roach continues to asks challenging questions to Jadeja in the over. He follows his tried and tested method of holding the line outside off for five deliveries in the over before slipping the one that goes on with the angle. Jadeja is saved courtesy DRS that showed he had an inside edge before the ball came in contact with the pads. Maiden.

Ravindra Jadeja has hit one ton in Tests and that came at Rajkot against West Indies in 2018.

NOT OUT! Loud shout for a leg before appeal against Ravindra Jadeja. Looked like it was hitting in line and the umpire has raised his finger…BUT Jadeja asks for referral immediately, he seems to have got some bat there, he believes. The ball was slanted into Jadeja by Roach from round the stumps and there were no problems with the pitching but replays reveal there is big inside edge onto the pads. Decision has to be reversed, Jadeja to continue.

After 60 overs,India 190/6 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 9 , Ravindra Jadeja 1)

Kudos to Holder for persisting with Gabriel, who snaffles a big wicket in the form of a very well-set Rahane. The wicket has given West Indies the upper-hand as of now. Rahane must get his stars checked, he has done well in several Test innings but the hundred has remain elusive. Rahane’s wicket brings Ravindra Jadeja to the middle, who is off the mark with a single.

The wait for Ajinkya Rahane’s tenth Test hundred goes on – for Rahane, and the world. Yes, Gabriel extracted a little more bounce from that delivery than expected, but Rahane will look back at the replays from the dressing room and know that he lost a century to a lazy stroke. Not the first time that’s happened in this now two-year long ton drought. Pant and Jadeja in, and they’ve got to expect a trial by pace. WI can smell blood here; one more wicket, and they’re into the tail.

OUT! Oh dear… the wait for another Test ton prolongs for Rahane. How often have we seen this? Rahane finding a way to get out after looking in supreme control?

Gabriel bowls the heavy ball outside off, holding it back of length outside off that does dart back in a touch and the movement does Rahane in. He was looking to ride the bounce and push it on the offside ends his playing it ontoo his leg stump. Once again a very solid knock but a tame end. 

Rahane b Gabriel 81(163)

After 59 overs,India 189/5 ( Ajinkya Rahane 81 , Rishabh Pant (W) 9)

Roach tries to target the stumps with a full delivery on the middle stump after couple of deliveries outside off, Rahane has looked in supreme control, methodically clips the ball off his legs behind square on the leg side for a brace. Rahane also ends the over with a quick single to covers.

After 58 overs,India 186/5 ( Ajinkya Rahane 78 , Rishabh Pant (W) 9)

Pant with a very good looking shot through the offside in Gabriel’s over for a boundary. The four prompts to a change in the angle for Gabriel, who switches back to over the wicket. Tries the bouncer to finish the over and Pant has no problems in ducking under it.

FOUR! Gabriel gets the line wrong on this back of a length delivery outside off, Pant transfers the weight back and slices it through point for a boundary.

After 57 overs,India 182/5 ( Ajinkya Rahane 78 , Rishabh Pant (W) 5)

Roach steams in to bowl his 14th over of the day in the 57th over of the match. Rahane expertly works a back of length delivery behind point for one. Roach keeps it outside off stump to Pant, who is at the moment happy to leave the ball but the bowler angles one into Pant’s middle stump with the Indian wicket-keeper able to get forward and tap it towards mid on for a single to end the over.

Rishabh Pant batting average in Tests:

1st innings – 59.50
2nd innings – 37.33

After 56 overs,India 180/5 ( Ajinkya Rahane 77 , Rishabh Pant (W) 4)

Rahane tucks a short ball aimed at his ribcage towards long leg for one that brings Pant on strike. Gabriel held the length back for the most part of the over, getting one to lift and swerve as well. Pant felt for it as well, but avoided to withdraw in time. Puts away a full toss to start his innings with a boundary.

FOUR! Full-toss from Gabriel on the middle and the leg stump, he was perhaps aiming for the yorker ends up bowling it a little too full, and Pant is able to flick with nice piece of timing through mid wicket to earn his first runs of his innings.

After 55 overs,India 175/5 ( Ajinkya Rahane 76 , Rishabh Pant (W) 0)

Kemar Roach continues to bowl his heart out and he is rewarded in the form of his third victim of the day. Like he dismissed Agarwal and Pujara, he has Vihari out edging to the wicket-keeper. Decent knock from Vihari, who stitched a vital partnership with Rahane but the game has opened up once again. Has Vihari done enough to keep Rohit Sharma in the wings? He will obviously have another innings to make his case. Rishabh Pant walks out to the middle. Roach switches to change the angle and operates round the stumps for the final ball of the over to the left-hander, who shoulders arms to a ball outside off stump. Successful over for West Indies.

…AAAAAND he’s gone! Call it the curse of the couch. 

Kemar Roach does the job for WI again, just as Rahane and Vihari were clawing India ahead post tea. The partnership might have been snapped abruptly, but it could yet prove to be a crucial one – 82 runs in 20.3 overs, coming as it did after India were four-down before getting to 100.

The big question now, though – which Rishabh Pant are we going to see?

OUT! Roach strikes! Another magnificent delivery from Roach, right in the corridor of uncertainty outside off stump. Vihari is caught no man’s land, neither too forward nor back. He is stuck in his crease, the line forces him to play at it which he only edges it behind. The ball does dip on its way to wicket-keeper Shai Hope, who does well to dive forward and catch it cleanly. After a little check from the umpires, Vihari carries on his walk to his pavilion. What a time by Roach to pick a wicket for West Indies.

Hanuma Vihari c Shai Hope b Roach 32(56)

After 54 overs,India 174/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 75 , Hanuma Vihari 32)

Shannon Gabriel is called back into the attack. Wow! Some significant movement inwards after the ball is pitched wide on length outside off stump. Vihari is beaten on the inside edge and with the ball rearing sharply, wicket-keeper Shai Hope isn’t able to grab it neatly. Vihari changes the end with a bye. Gabriel does trouble Rahane before he solidly taps it to sweeper cover for a single off the final ball.

Hanuma Vihari’s slowly but surely worked himself into the middle after entering at a precarious moment in the game. A few thick edges going to the boundary, but he’s looked assured, while also keeping the scorecard ticking.

Some may have questioned his selection over Rohit Sharma with a bare glance at his numbers, but put that down to public memory being both short-lived and lacking in empathy: Vihari was asked to open, right out of the blue, at the MCG in a Test that would pave the way to a historic series win – the scoreboard will say eight off 66 balls, but an Indian opening pair lasted 18.5 overs for the first time in a decade, and that played no small part in what followed.

There has to be an added value to the guys who take one for the team, and now is the time for Vihari to kick on to bigger things, knowing that no spot in the Indian middle-order after number four is a lock-in.

After 53 overs,India 172/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 74 , Hanuma Vihari 32)

Roach returns to the attack. He ends the over with a fantastic riposte after he was cut for a boundary by Rahane off the penultimate ball. He gives a little death stare to Rahane as well. The partnership between Vihari and Rahane has already added 79 runs for the fifth wicket.

FOUR! Plenty of width offered by Roach and Rahane latches on it. Goes back in his crease and cuts it square, wide of the man at point for a solid boundary

After 52 overs,India 168/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 70 , Hanuma Vihari 32)

With just a shimmy across, Rahane whips a ball on off stump to long on with Jason Holder from short mid on giving a big chase and just managing to keep the ball inside the field of play. Three runs for Rahane. Vihari is able to collect a boundary to mid on as India continue to gain control of their innings.

FOUR! Overpitched from Cummins on middle and leg stump. Vihari punches down the ground, ball scurries past mid on for a boundary.

After 51 overs,India 161/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 67 , Hanuma Vihari 28)

Runs coming in boundaries for the visitors. Rahane begins the over with a boundary to deep extra cover before changing the ends with Vihari off the next ball. Vihari will retain strike for the next over with a single off the final ball of Chase’s over.

FOUR! Chase drops wide and short, Rahane is quick on the back foot. Packs some power in drive and the sweeper cover does manage to get a foot to the ball but aren’t able to stop it from going to the fence.

After 50 overs,India 154/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 61 , Hanuma Vihari 27)

India race past the 150-run mark with Vihari collecting couple of fortuitous boundaries to third man fence. Cummins might be feeling hard done after couple of terrific deliveries in the over.

FOUR! Vihari rides his luck once again. This time it was rash shot, very uncharacterstic from Vihari, a slash that went through the gap between first slip and keeper. It was out of anyone’s reach in terms of its height as well. Four lucky runs for Vihari.

FOUR! Cummins draws an outside edge from Vihari. He almost squared him up with a good length delivery on off stump, fortunately the ball went along the ground and past the second slip to third man fence.

After 49 overs,India 146/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 61 , Hanuma Vihari 19)

Chase with couple of really poor deliveries in the over, which Rahane is able to send it to fence before he had worked it for a couple past mid on. The 50-run stand also came up between the two. Six runs came from it.

FOUR! That’s a loose delivery down the leg side from Chase and Rahane hops on his backfoot to pull the ball past short fine leg fielder.

After 48 overs,India 140/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 55 , Hanuma Vihari 19)

Vihari and Rahane resume play for the final session after a rain delay. Miguel Cummins set to complete his over from the second session. Vihari works away single to fine leg before Rahane pulls for two and then drives past mid on for three. Six runs from the over.

Reports coming in that the game will resume at 14:55 local time which is 00:25 IST

Is an Ajinkya Rahane century on the way? 

Rahul looked good for more. A nothing ball got his wicket. Rahane’s also got a reprieve....hope he ends the two year Test Ton drought today. 🤞 #WIvIND

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 22, 2019

OH NO! Well, the rain Gods have made their appearance once again, just when Rahane was looking in good touch with Vihari. The covers have come on, and early tea has been taken. Earlier, Rahul was dismissed for 44 thanks to a fuller-length down the leg-side from Roston Chase , and the former just gifted the ball to keeper Shai Hope in what was a very lucky dismissal. 

That was the only wicket to fall in the session, though, and Rahane will be key for India if they are to register a huge total. 

Stay tuned and don’t go anywhere, because we will keep you updated with everything relating to the match’s resumption.

After 47 overs,India 134/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 50 , Hanuma Vihari 18)

Hanuma Vihari begins with a couple of runs as he whips this past short-leg. He follows that up with a single towards point. Well, those are only three runs from Cummins’ over.

A half-century for Rahane, a battling one which will give him great satisfaction – but don’t think he will be adequately satisfied till he converts this into a big one. 28 innings – and two years – without a hundred doesn’t make good reading for the Indian Test vice-captain, and so long as he can curb the tendency to go for the mind-numbing swipes against Chase, he will feel he has a three-figure score for the taking here.

After 46 overs,India 131/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 50 , Hanuma Vihari 15)

Ajinkya Rahane has brought up another well-played half-century, his 18th in the longest format. He must have desperately waited for an innings like this, and finally has a chance to carry his team forward after losing four crucial wickets. Just two runs off Cummins’ over.

FIFTY! Rahane successfully completes a couple of runs to get to his fifty. What an innings from the right-handed batsman.

After 45 overs,India 129/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 48 , Hanuma Vihari 15)

Vihari comes up with a sweep shot off Chase’s turning spin. He makes full use of that and the ball races past the keeper towards short fine leg for four. Six from the over.

FOUR! VIhari goes for the sweep shot, makes full use of Chase’s turning spin as the ball races well past the wicket-keeper towards short-fine ;leg.

Ajinkya Rahane against West Indies in Tests:

22, 108*, 35, 78*, 41, 80, 48* (Today)

After 44 overs,India 123/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 48 , Hanuma Vihari 9)

Vihari and Rahane picks up a few singles, with four runs off Miguel Cummins’ over. Cummins, though, remains wicket-less after six overs, although he has just conceded 22 runs.

After 43 overs,India 119/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 46 , Hanuma Vihari 7)

Rahane picks up the lone run from the over, after he plays this towards the leg side off Chase’s ball. Vihari, meanwhile misses a flick shot opportunity after Chase bowls a length ball down the leg-side, which eventually is the over’s last ball.

How often have we seen a Rahane innings end to an ugly swipe coming down the wicket to an off-spinner? Nathan Lyon, Moeen Ali… Roston Chase’s name should have been added to that list. Miguel Cummins did the tougher bit in running quick enough to settle under the ball, but couldn’t close it out. Could come back to haunt the West Indies later in this Test – can Rahane make the most of it?

After 42 overs,India 118/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 45 , Hanuma Vihari 7)

Holder continues his impressive spell. He concedes just three runs in this over with Rahane picking up a couple of runs from it. He bowls a few threatening short balls too in the over.

After 41 overs,India 115/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 43 , Hanuma Vihari 6)

Rahane gets a lifeline after being dropped by Cummins who comes running from mid-on. Well, that was a poorly-timed shot and should have been gone, though, but Rahane was lucky to pick a couple of runs from that. Five from Chase’s over.

After 40 overs,India 110/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 38 , Hanuma Vihari 6)

Maiden over from Holder. That’s as many as seven maidens for Holder in the match. He bowls a few fuller-length deliveries to Vihari, who is unable to play those.

After 39 overs,India 110/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 38 , Hanuma Vihari 6)

Vihari picks up his first boundary. He picks Chase’s shorter-length ball and steers it behind point to outplay the sweeper-cover fielder for four. Five runs coming off Chase’s over.

FOUR! Chase comes up with a short of length delivery outside off-stump to Vihari, who steers it behind point to beat the sweeper cover.

After 38 overs,India 105/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 38 , Hanuma Vihari 1)

Rahane brings up India’s 100 with a boundary. He picks the shorter-length ball from Holder, and guides this towards third-man for four. Six runs from it with Rahane inching towards his 40s.

FOUR! A shorter-length delivery from Holder on outside-off prompts Rahane to drive towards third-man for a boundary. Hundred up for India as well!

After 37 overs,India 99/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 32 , Hanuma Vihari 1)

A silent over from Chase, with only two runs coming off it. A single from Rahane and Vihari each. While Vihari flicks it behind square for the single, Rahane plays an on-drive towards mid-on for his run.

After 36 overs,India 97/4 ( Ajinkya Rahane 31 , Hanuma Vihari 0)

Rahane begins the over with a boundary. Holder unleashes the ball onto Rahane’s pads, and the latter manages to flick this one through the square-leg for a boundary. Four runs off the Windies’ skipper’s over.

FOUR! Holder delivers this fuller-length delivery onto Rahane’s pads and the latter manages to flick this one through the leg side.

Oh, the frustrations of watching KL Rahul… plays out the tough phases, grits it out while the chips are falling at the other end, deals with the pace threat and then throws it away to one trundling down the leg-side second ball after a spinner comes on for the first time!

Doubt he’ll need much castigating up in the dressing room, because he will be absolutely beating himself blue over this dismissal (as he should?) – it’s now nine innings without a half-century, and just two 50+ scores in 24 Test innings since the start of 2018.

After 35 overs,Sri Lanka 83/2 ( Dimuth Karunaratne (C) 47 , Angelo Mathews 0)

A wicket was almost in sight for West Indies, and the moment arrived when Roston Chase finally dismissed the well-set Rahul for 44. Rahul was looking to play through the leg-side, but eventually found Hope behind the wickets. Hanuma Vihari has joined Rahane in the middle, with Chase earning a maiden in his very first over.

WICKET! Chase delivers this through the leg-side, the ball makes contact with Rahul’s bat and goes straight to the hands of keeper Shai Hope. Such a costly wicket this one. Rahul c Shai Hope b Roston Chase 44

After 34 overs,India 93/3 ( KL Rahul 44 , Ajinkya Rahane 27)

Roach earns another maude, and continues to deliver a few balls towards outside off-stump to Rahane. This is Roach’s fourth maiden, his second in this session already.

After 33 overs,India 93/3 ( KL Rahul 44 , Ajinkya Rahane 27)

Just one run off Holder’s latest over, with Rahane picking up a single in the form of a leg bye. Holder unconvincingly appeals for lbw, but that lands down the leg side.

After 32 overs,India 92/3 ( KL Rahul 44 , Ajinkya Rahane 27)

KL Rahul finally finds some runs, thanks to a terrific cover drive off Roach’s wide off off-stump delivery. He uses his front-foot well to time it to perfection. A welcome boundary for India, with seven runs off it.

FOUR! A welcome boundary from Rahul, playes a terrific cover drive off a widish delivery from Roach, who bowls it in a speed of 130kph!

After 31 overs,India 85/3 ( KL Rahul 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 24)

Captain Jason Holder brings himself to bowl his first over after lunch, his seventh overall. Another maiden, that’s 20 balls since either of Rahane and Rahul has scored even a single run.

After 30 overs,India 85/3 ( KL Rahul 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 24)

Shannon Gabriel is looking almost set to take another wicket here. His fierce pace, a couple of which he delivers outside off consisting of speed of above 140kph to Rahane, was just enough to earn another maiden over.

After 29 overs,India 85/3 ( KL Rahul 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 24)

Kemar Roach earns his third maiden over in the match. He switches between good and fuller-length deliveries. One of them, in fact, is a fuller 132kph delivery at the stumps to Rahul, who delays his shot and plays it towards the leg-side.

Vital stretch coming up for Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane has scored 25 or more ten times in his last 16 innings coming into this game, but only five of those have resulted in 50s – and none have been converted to three figures. It’s been over two years, in fact, since Rahane hit a Test century, and his average in 17 Tests since then reads 24.85. With Rohit Sharma in the travelling party, breathing down heavily on the middle-order, this is a crucial phase in the career of India’s Test match vice-captain.

After 28 overs,India 85/3 ( KL Rahul 40 , Ajinkya Rahane 24)

Rahane continues to score runs in boundaries. With a straight-drive off Gabriel’s outside-off delivery towards long-on, he now has a boundary in each of the last three overs. Five off the over, as India keep the scoreboard ticking.

FOUR! Sweetly-timed straight-drive towards long-on from Rahane as he picks up an outside off delivery from Shannon Gabriel. Simply timed to perfection that one!

KL Rahul in West Indies in Tests:

158, 50, 28, 40* (Today)

After 27 overs,India 80/3 ( KL Rahul 39 , Ajinkya Rahane 20)

Rahane once again, with another boundary. This time, he takes advantage of a fullish outside off-stump delivery from Roach, and uses his front-foot really well to drive through the covers for four. Five runs from the over.

West Indies pacers’ strike rate of 45.7 in the last two years in Test cricket – the second best among all the teams after South Africa (38.6).

FOUR! Roach delivers this one full outside off, and Rahane uses the front-foot really well to drive through the covers for a boundary.

After 26 overs,India 75/3 ( KL Rahul 38 , Ajinkya Rahane 16)

Shannon Gabriel into the attack now. Rahane goes for a front-foot defence, but gets an inside-edge eventually, as Gabriel unleashes a fuller-length deivery around the outside off-stump. However, Rahane picks up a wider fullish delivery, and times it right to drive between cover and point region for a boundary. Seven runs from the pver, and the fifty partnership between Rahane and Rahul are also up.

FOUR! Rahane times it right as he picks up the half-volley from Gabriel to drive it between cover and point region.

After 25 overs,India 68/3 ( KL Rahul 37 , Ajinkya Rahane 10)

Kemar Roach continues with his dangerous pace, and bowls a 130kph inswinger around off-stump to Rahane, who begins after lunch. That is followed by yet another fuller inswinger around off-stump. Eventually, Roach starts off with a maiden.

Welcome back. Lunch break on Day 1, done and dusted. Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul will look to build on this partnership and hope that they don’t lose any wicket in the second session. Rahane will take strike, and Roach will continue Windies’ bowling.

A horror opening half an hour for India, but they’ve been kept afloat by their ‘senior’ opener and vice-captain – whose designations don’t quite go with the sword that they often find hanging above their heads. 68 for 3 in 24 overs still means this was West Indies’ session, and the Roach-Gabriel combine took off from where they’d left when they singed England earlier this year. Rahul and Rahane have a combined total of a mere seven 50+ scores in 47 innings since the start of 2018, which perhaps explains the presence of that ‘sword’. Now would be a time like no other to rectify those numbers.

Lunch, Day 1

After three early strikes for West Indies, KL Rahul, who has been very solid in his approach, and Ajinkya Rahane have shown good enough resolve to ensure there is no further damage in the morning session. The duo have added 43 for the fourth wicket and have restored some sort of semblance in the Indian dressing room. Jason Holder will be a happy captain with how things went in the first session of play after winning the toss. Both of his strike bowlers – Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel – picking important wickets in the session while keeping it tidy even when Rahul and Rahane built a partnership. We will go and grab a quick bite before we bring you all the action from the afternoon session, so do join us.

After 24 overs,India 68/3 ( KL Rahul 37 , Ajinkya Rahane 10)

Couple of short deliveries from Gabriel that Rahul is able to sway out of the way. He did collect a couple through covers before seeing out the final over of the first session of play. That will be Lunch on the first day of the series.

After 23 overs,India 66/3 ( KL Rahul 35 , Ajinkya Rahane 10)

Roach returns to the bowling crease. Rahul clips it through square leg for two off the first ball of Roach’s second spell. Rahul hares for a quick single off the penultimate delivery. The partnership is now worth 41.

After 22 overs,India 63/3 ( KL Rahul 32 , Ajinkya Rahane 10)

Shanon Gabriel is back into the attack. Rahul takes the single off the first ball of the over and Rahane is watchful against Gabriel before pulling him nicely to claim his second boundary.

FOUR! Gabriel tries to surprise Rahane with a short ball to end the over. It was digged in really short with the ball rising almost over Rahane’s head, but the Indian vice-captain is upto the challenge. He pulls it really well, keeping it along the carpet. Kemar Roach at backward square leg boundary tries to stop the ball with the boot but isn’t successful

After 21 overs,India 58/3 ( KL Rahul 31 , Ajinkya Rahane 6)

Rahane leaves a couple before defending a delivery and then pushing it towards mid-off. He collects a boundary via a thick edge past the slips. Four runs off Holder’s over.

FOUR! Good lines from Holder but Rahane looks to poke at it. He does get the outside edge but his deft hands ensure the ball doesn’t carry to the slips and it is wide of the second slip as well. Runs down to third man for his first boundary.

After 20 overs,India 54/3 ( KL Rahul 31 , Ajinkya Rahane 2)

Cummins keeps delivering gifts once in a while allowing the batsmen to keep the scoreboard ticking. The partnership is worth 30 already, time for these two to carry on from here.

FOUR! Once again overpitched by Cummins and KLR drives beautifully off the front foot. He has hit this past mid off with the fielder giving up the chase very early

After 19 overs,India 50/3 ( KL Rahul 27 , Ajinkya Rahane 2)

After 25 dots in his spell, finally a run is scored off Holder’s bowling, which also means Rahane’s first run off Holder. He tucks a short delivery towards square leg for a single. A little yes and no for a quick single between Rahul and Rahane with both not opting for the run in the end leading to no real damage. Holder slants a delivery on Rahul’s pads which is worked away for a couple to backward square leg and a single to finish as well. Rahul shuffles across and taps it towards square leg a single, which brings up the fifty on board for the tourists.

After 18 overs,India 46/3 ( KL Rahul 24 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Cummins once again overpitches it and Rahul is on front foot to drive it through cover point for a couple with the sluggish outfield holding up the ball much before the boundary. India inching towards the 50-run mark.

After 17 overs,India 44/3 ( KL Rahul 22 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Jason Holder continuing, he hasn’t bowled a single ball to KL Rahul so far in his three overs and guess what he doesn’t get a chance in his fourth over either. Rahane playing out fourth maiden in a row.

Solid from KL Rahul so far. Has looked relatively assured, with a control percentage above 80 fairly respectable given the carnage around him in the opening hour, and those two fours off Cummins in the 16th over will make him feel just that bit more at ease. Small steps required right now as India look to rebuild, and Rahul’s first target has to be getting to lunch with his wicket preserved.

After 16 overs,India 44/3 ( KL Rahul 22 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Couple of boundaries for KLR as Cummins dishes out few freebies in the over. He quickly moves into his 20s. Eight runs coming from it.

FOUR! Too full from Cummins which was slanting into the middle stump. Rahul brings down the straight bat and punches it firmly through mid off for the second boundary in the over.

FOUR! Short and way outside off from Cummins. Rahul would have hit that in his sleep. Gets into good position and cuts it past point for a boundary.

After 15 overs,India 36/3 ( KL Rahul 14 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Slightly strange field setting for Rahane. Two slips and two gullies in place. Rahane does have the tendency to play in that region and Holder has the ability to purchase some extra bounce. None in this over. Hat-tricks of maiden for Jason Holder.

After 14 overs,India 36/3 ( KL Rahul 14 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Quiet little phase here as Rahul and Rahane slowly looking to lay a solid foundation to build their innings. Holder and Cummins do not have the same sting in their bowling like Roach and Gabriel. Rahul works it past mid wicket for a couple, the only runs coming from the over.

After 13 overs,India 34/3 ( KL Rahul 12 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Rahane in not in any sort of hurry here. Leaving the balls outside off alone, sensibly, and is more than happy to defend it without much fuss when the bowler is targetting his stumps. Another maiden for Holder.

After 12 overs,India 34/3 ( KL Rahul 12 , Ajinkya Rahane 1)

Twin bowling change: Miguel Cummins will resume proceedings after the drinks interval. Rahul turns the strike with a rapid single of the first ball before Rahane gets the chance to collect his first run of his innings with a single to midwicket. Just two runs from it.

After 11 overs,India 32/3 ( KL Rahul 11 , Ajinkya Rahane 0)

First bowling change for the West Indies. Skipper Jason Holder comes into the attack giving Roach a breather. Decent start for Holder as Rahane plays out an uneventful maiden. Umpires call for Drinks.

After 10 overs,India 32/3 ( KL Rahul 11 , Ajinkya Rahane 0)

Rahul moves into double digits with a boundary off the last ball. Gabriel looks like he is just running out of steam here, looks like it will be the last over of his spell. A two to start the over, while a four to finish it.

FOUR! Full and straight on the middle stump as Gabriel tries to bluff the batsman there, but Rahul was well aware. Times the push down the ground and there was no stopping that.

And now Kohli goes too. This is a truly horrific start for India, and fiery as all hell from the West Indies. 

What’s going to concern the Indian think-tank when they get down to breaking it down, is the regularity of opening day blues on away tours even while they’ve been the world’s top-ranked Test team; in the first innings of their last four away tours, India’s score at the fall of the third wicket has read: 

vs SA, Cape Town: 27/3 in 8.1 overs (92/7 in 41.4)
vs ENG, Birmingham: 59/3 in 15.5 overs
vs AUS, Adelaide: 19/3 in 10.3 overs
vs WI, Antigua: 25/3 in 7.5 overs

If they aren’t careful in the second hour, India could be falling way behind the eight-ball on the first day itself.

After 9 overs,India 26/3 ( KL Rahul 5 , Ajinkya Rahane 0)

Roach runs in to bowl his fifth over. This is a fantastic fast bowling pair of Roach and Gabriel. One relying on the discipline line and length procuring subtle seam movement while the other offering contrasting attributes and testing the batsmen with pacy short delivery. Rahane leaves the last two deliveries after Rahul’s outside edge rolls wide off the slips for a single off the fourth ball. Only a single from the over.

After 8 overs,India 25/3 ( KL Rahul 4 , Ajinkya Rahane 0)

Gabriel’s persistence with the short ball brings the downfall of the Indian captain. He first got Kohli jumping with a lifter that went past his nose, where Kohli had to take immediate action to sway out of the line of the ball. Kohli is winded with the follow-up delivery that hits on his elbow as he misses his pull short, before Kohli chases after another short ball outside off steering straight to gully off the penultimate delivery. Gabriel runs with added venom to hit new batsman Rahane with another short of length delivery that darts back into his midriff. Phew! What an fiery over from Gabriel, clocking almost at 150 clicks.

Ajinkya Rahane batting average in each calendar year in Tests:

2013 – 43.40
2014 – 44.94
2015 – 45.61
2016 – 54.41
2017 – 34.62
2018 – 30.66
2019 – 18.00

OUT! Now Kohli is on his way! Gabriel has the big wicket. It was a short delivery outside off and Kohli thought of riding the bounce, he is on his toes with a horizontal bat, trying to keep it down but the ball keeps rising and Kohli is only able to tamely push it towards gully, where debutant Shamrah Brooks takes it safely. 

 Kohli c Shamarh Brooks b Gabriel 9(12)

FOUR! Kohli looking very positive, full delivery on the stumps and Kohli leans forward and drives it past the bowler. No need to run for that.

After 7 overs,India 16/2 ( KL Rahul 4 , Virat Kohli (C) 5)

Another testing over from Kemar Roach which ends with a quick single from Kohli after he tapped the ball on the offside in front of cover and scampered for the run. Just two runs came from it.

After 6 overs,India 14/2 ( KL Rahul 3 , Virat Kohli (C) 4)

Rahul opens his account off the 14th delivery off his innings. He pushes it through the covers for three, before Kohli drives it slightly uppishly to earn his first runs of his innings. Seven runs come from Gabriel’s over.

FOUR! full delivery, outside off, and Kohli comes forward and looks to drive it on the up, he does open the face of the bat to guide it behind point and though it didn’t look as the batsman was in complete control of the shot, the idea was right. The Indian captain is off the mark with a boundary.

Kemar Roach derailing India’s coach! Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara had done most of the hard yards in the Tests in Melbourne and Sydney that aided India’s series win in Australia – and they’re gone in the same over.

It goes with the theme of the England series. Twice in the three Tests, Roach rattled the English top-order with new-ball wickets in the first innings; the only one where he failed to do so, was the sole win for England in that 2-1 rubber.

Pressure on Virat Kohli (when is it not, eh?), but KL Rahul should look at this as a potentially pivotal innings for himself. Another wicket in this opening hour, and India will be under the pump before most people get to dinner back home.

Virat Kohli has amassed 686 runs from 12 Tests against West Indies at an average of 45.73 which is the lowest for him against an opponent. His Test average of 36.33 in the West Indies is also the lowest for him in a country where he played more than one innings.

After 5 overs,India 7/2 ( KL Rahul 0 , )

Terrific over from West Indies’ point of view. Roach strikes twice and gets rid of two solid Indian batsmen in Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara. Not the greatest of starts to their journey in World Test Championship. West Indies right on top with those two wickets. Roach just bearing the fruit of consistent spot bowling.

OUT! Kemar Roach is on fire! Pujara gone! No need for a referral this time around. Roach with another excellent delivery. Very similar delivery that got Agarwal edging,  directed into the batsmen and that gets it to hold the line just a bit and Pujara has a feel for the ball. Fishes outside the off stump, gets a tickle to Shai Hope and the hosts have struck twice in an over.

Pujara c Shai Hope b Roach 2(4)

OUT! Huge appeal. Was there an edge? Did it come off the pad? Umpire is unmoved. Jason Holder reviews. Another disciplined delivery in the channel just outside off stump from Kemar Roach, forcing Agarwal to play at it. There looks like an edge. The UltraEdge confirms it. There is a clear spike as the ball goes past the edge and the hosts have an early breakthrough. Agarwal heads back to the pavilion. Windies rejoice.

Agarwal c Shai Hope b Roach 5(13)

After 4 overs,India 5/0 ( KL Rahul 0 , Mayank Agarwal 5)

Gabriel is pitching it just short of a length in comparison to his new-ball partner and is getting the ball to climb as well. Rahul is able to see out the over comfortably. Maiden.

After 3 overs,India 5/0 ( KL Rahul 0 , Mayank Agarwal 5)

Turning out to be a good contest between bat and ball here. Agarwal begins the over with a boundary down the ground to long off. Roach follows up with good deliveries on and just outside the off stump. Holding the length just a touch back and not allowing Agarwal to get on the front foot.

FOUR! Roach pitches this slightly up and Agarwal is on the front foot. Only a firm push down the ground and with no mid off in place it was always going to be a tough chase for Kraigg Brathwaite who tried to pull the back in just before it came in contact with the long off boundary. First boundary off the innings.

After 2 overs,India 1/0 ( KL Rahul 0 , Mayank Agarwal 1)

Shannon Gabriel to bowl from the other end. Gabriel gets one to climb off back of a length, which Agarwal initially thought of playing before dropping his wrists and leaving it safely. Agarwal is off the mark with a prod on the offside and running a quick single which is also the first run for Team India. Gabriel ends his over with a beauty, almost taking Rahul’s edge. The ball held its line after it was darted towards Rahul.

KL Rahul’s batting average in Tests:

1st innings – 39.30
2nd innings – 28.95

To get a measure of the challenge staring at Rahul and Agarwal, West Indian fast bowlers average 21.11 in home Test matches since April 2017 – a full 2.60 better than any other home team’s fast bowlers in the same time period. 

The averages of their three lead pacers since then? Gabriel 52 wickets at 19.25, Roach 34 at 15.85, Holder 45 at 14.91. 

Brace up, Bengaluru boys!

After 1 overs,India 0/0 ( KL Rahul 0 , Mayank Agarwal 0)

Very tight start from Kemar Roach. He starts with the ball in the channel outside the offstump that is left alone by KL Rahul. The second delivery nips back and hits Rahul on the front pad. Rahul is safe as the ball was on the rise and likely to go over the wickets. A tentatively prod by Rahul off the next ball that falls short of the slips. Rahul is able to defend last two deliveries with some comfort. Promising signs for Roach.

India have won 21 Tests out of 26 while batting first under the leadership of Virat Kohli while batting first before today.

After 15 minute delay due to wet outfield the World Test Championship is underway for West Indies and India. Close friends and Karanataka boys KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal stride out for India with numbers at the back of their respective T-shirt. Three slips and a gully in place, Kemar Roach to bowl the first ball of the series.

Well well well… pacers aplenty in both playing XIs – three for India and four for West Indies, so I guess we know what kind of surface the teams are expecting! 

Tad surprising to see Jadeja nick the sole spinner’s spot over both Ashwin and Kuldeep, but heartening to see Vihari retain a position he’d done absolutely nothing to lose to Rohit Sharma. 

West Indies get first use of a slightly moist track given the morning rain, although Kohli says he would’ve batted first anyway – was he bluffing?

Two people who cannot afford to bluff are KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal; the childhood best-buds got a chance to live their dream of opening the batting together for India in Sydney back in January, and this series presents them with a chance of nailing down that partnership for the coming home season.

Well well well… pacers aplenty in both playing XIs – three for India and four for West Indies, so I guess we know what kind of surface the teams are expecting! 

Tad surprising to see Jadeja nick the sole spinner’s spot over both Ashwin and Kuldeep, but heartening to see Vihari retain a position he’d done absolutely nothing to lose to Rohit Sharma. 

West Indies get first use of a slightly moist track given the morning rain, although Kohli says he would’ve batted first anyway – was he bluffing?

Two people who cannot afford to bluff are KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal; the childhood best-buds got a chance to live their dream of opening the batting together for India in Sydney back in January, and this series presents them with a chance of nailing down that partnership for the coming home season.

India XI: Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah

West Indies XI: Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Shai Hope(w), Shamarh Brooks, Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Jason Holder(c), Miguel Cummins, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach

The last time when India lost a Test against West Indies was back in 2002 at Kingston. India have won each of the last seven Test series’ that they have played against the West Indies.

Virat, India captain: We were looking to bat anyway. It’s an added advantage to put runs on the board. All the teams are pretty solid and they know what to do out there. Every team has to be very professional. There is absolutely no room for complacency. Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul will be opening the batting in the series. Saha, Rohit, Ashwin, Kuldeep and Umesh are not playing today

Holder, West Indies captain: We will field first. Some moisture in the wicket and we want to take advantage. We have had some solid preparations and are looking forward to this. Every series is a new series, need to do our best. We have a new guy, Shamarh Brooks, who makes his Test debut for us.

Toss: Heads calls Virat and it is a tail. West Indies win toss and Jason Holder elects to field.

Pitch report: Quite warm out here. Some cloud and there is strong North easterly wind blowing from east to west. There is layer of grass on length which will cause a lot of extra bounce as it happened during the England series. Some variable bounce that will trouble the batsmen. There is also some moisture on this surface. Pace dominates on this surface and the team batting first needs to be very watchful, spin might not play a big role reckons Darren Ganga in his pitch report.

From a West Indian perspective, there’s the strange factor of having demolished one of the best teams in the world the last time they donned their whites, yet being considered, by most, as mere also-rans coming into their next contest. 

The change in nature of surfaces doled out in Tests in the Caribbean in the last couple of years, along with the increasingly impressive returns of Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach has brought back a potency that had long gone missing from the Windies pace attack. 

In John Campbell, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope and Darren Bravo, the batting is no dud either. 

Add to that the all-round contribution of Jason Holder and Roston Chase, and WI are a far more formidable Test outfit at home than the world makes them out to be – as England realised at the start of this year.

Toss will take place at 9.30am local time (7 pm IST) while the play will start at 9.45am (7:15 pm IST)

Good time to dive into some nostalgia as Subhash Jayaraman takes us back through the West Indies’ domination in the 1970s and 80s to India’s emergence as a powerhouse since the turn of the century. Check the entire piece out here .

Inspection to be held at 6.50 PM IST

We will have an inspection by 9:20am local. If conditions are good, the toss will take place at 9:30am #WIvIND

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 22, 2019

We still wait for the official news and time for the toss as players from either sides take some slip catches. If Indian captain Kohli is to believe , the visitors are likely to field four pacers, so there will be a toss up between Ashwin/Jadeja for the lone spinner’s place and Rohit/Vihari will compete for the number six slot.

The inclement rain has already delayed the toss for the first Test, but the news coming in is that the rain has stopped now and we can see the visuals of players warming up. Y ou can read here all about the weather in Antigua today

More than seven months after completing their most famous Test victory of all-time – a maiden series win on Australian soil – India return to the longest format of the game. 

A lot, of course, has happened in these seven months, but the focus now returns to five-day cricket with this being World No. 1 ranked India’s first assignment of the World Test Championship. 

A few interesting calls on personnel that we should know about in the coming minutes: does Wriddhiman Saha have to settle into a back-up role on the back of Rishabh Pant’s runs in England and Australia? Will Ravindra Jadeja get the all-rounder’s position in the absence of Hardik Pandya to maintain the balance usually preferred by Virat Kohli? If India do go in with seven batsmen, does Rohit Sharma get the nod (arguably harshly) over Hanuma Vihari? Can Kuldeep Yadav be squeezed into the setup?

Full Team Squads

India Team Players:  Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant (wk), Cheteshwara Pujara, Lokesh Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav

West Indies Team Players: Jason Holder (c), Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brook, John Cambell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich,  Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer,  Shai Hope, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach,

India have been unbeaten over the West Indies on their trips to the Caribbean for over a decade. They’ve won 1-0, 1-0 and 2-0 on the last three sojourns with their last defeat coming in 2002 (1-2). More recently, the dominance has been across formats with convincing wins in 2016 and 2017 (in limited-overs). The same level has been maintained on this tour as well with 3-0 and 2-0 scorelines in T20Is and ODIs.

Read preview by Tanuj Lakhina here .

Hello and welcome to the Firstpost’s coverage of first Test between India and West Indies from Antigua. Virat Kohli’s India will look to find the winning combination with several players in line for the number five spot as Ajinkya Rahane struggles for form