Centurion Rohit, gritty Ashwin dig India out of a hole

Day 2: Detailed scorecard here Close of play on day 2 Ind 354-6 after 102 overs Sharma 127, Ashwin 92 What a day for India… what a day for Rohit Sharma. He came in when India were 83-5 and then built up a partnership with Dhoni to get India back in the match. When Dhoni fell, Rohit didn’t panic. In the company of R Ashwin – who also batted brilliantly for his 92 – stitched together an unbroken 198-run partnership in 50.5 overs to virtually bat West Indies out of the match. India lead by 120 runs with 4 wickets remaining in the 1st innings and it’s not going to be easy for the Windies to fight their way back into the match. Shillingford was the best bowler for WI – 41-8-130-4 but the others simply had no plan. Rohit (after the close of play): There was a lot of pressure as we lost 5 early wickets. Once I get back to the hotel room, maybe it will sink in. Test hundred is always special and getting it on debut is even more special. I was very much focused to take advantage of the opportunity I got.  Ashwin nears ton Ind 345-6 after 99 overs Sharma 125, Ashwin 85 It’s been very for India in the last hour or so. West Indies are doing nothing… absolutely nothing here. They are going through with the motions… nothing more. Rohit and Ashwin are playing them with ease. India dominating Ind 334-6 after 94 overs Sharma 122, Ashwin 77 Why does Sammy rate himself so highly as a bowler? He comes into the attack and is absolutely plastered all over the park by Rohit Sharma. This is so easy… oh so easy.

  Celebrate Rohit now Ind 307-6 after 91 overs Sharma 106, Ashwin 70 Rohit Sharma gets his century on debut – 102 off 194 balls, 12 fours, 1 six. Super knock and it came when India were in big trouble. He becomes the 14th Indian to get a century on debut.

   New ball finally taken Ind 290-6 after 88 overs Sharma 92, Ashwin 67 West Indies have finally taken the new ball. Best is charging in but not having much of an effect on the batsmen. Not a lot of movement for the bowlers either. Lead is up to 56 runs. India dominating now Ind 286-6 after 86 overs Sharma 89, Ashwin 66 Rohit slowly making his way towards a century. Ashwin looking solid too. Still no new ball Ind 280-6 after 84 overs Sharma 85, Ashwin 64 The game is drifting away from the West Indies and Sammy is doing nothing. The new ball is due and it has still not been taken. Just what is he thinking? He has not even tried to give Marlon Samuels or Chris Gayle. India’s lead is up to 46. New ball due Ind 265-6 after 80 overs Sharma 76, Ashwin 58 The lead is up to 31 now and the new ball is due. Ashwin playing some very special shots in the middle. Rohit is cruising. Moving ahead Ind 259-6 after 76 overs Sharma 74, Ashwin 54 50 off 71 balls for Ashwin. Super stuff. India really needed him to play this knock. 4th Test fifty. A few balls laters, Ashwin hit another four to bring up the 100-run partnership: 103 runs off 150 balls. West Indies are looking a little lost now.  Moving ahead Ind 250-6 after 74 overs Sharma 72, Ashwin 47 West Indies looking to the second new ball to make a breakthrough now. Still six overs away and India are looking to milk the bowling. Runs have been easy to come by. Scores level Ind 244-6 after 72 overs Sharma 68, Ashwin 46 Ashwin and Rohit are looking untroubled. In the commentary box, Rahul Dravid sounds a warning for the West Indies: “The game can get away from you pretty quickly, so the West Indies need to be careful here.”

  Scores level Ind 234-6 after 69 overs Sharma 65, Ashwin 39 Scores are level and from now on, India need to make the advantage count. The top order collapse had them in trouble but now they are in a position of great strength. Tea time Ind 229-6 after 68 overs Sharma 61, Ashwin 38 109 runs, 29 overs, 1 wicket in the session. India trail by just 5 runs with 4 wickets remaining in the first innings. They still need to be careful but when you consider that they were 83-5 at one stage, this is a brilliant comeback. Rohit and Ashwin have been brilliant – their 73-run stand has come in just 16.5 overs. West Indies have had no answer for the manner in which they two have scored the runs. Ashwin on the ball Ind 221-6 after 65 overs Sharma 55, Ashwin 36 Ashwin is easily out-scoring Virat and he is doing it by playing proper cricketing shots. A nice late cut in the last over from Permaul showcased his batting credentials again. The partnership is 65 runs in 13.5 overs. Ashwin shines again Ind 213-6 after 64 overs Sharma 55, Ashwin 28 West Indies need a wicket now or India might end up with a big advantage. They are ahead by just 21 runs now and India still have 4 wickets in hand. Rohit and Ashwin are both largely untroubled. Debut star Ind 198-6 after 61 overs Sharma 53, Ashwin 15 Rohit gets his fifty on Test debut and he looks good for plenty more. He has been patient – it took him 95 balls.  Steady Ind 186-6 after 58 overs Sharma 47, Ashwin 10 India are inching closer with every run. West Indies seem to have run out of ideas with Shillingford getting a rest. Permaul has kept things very tight. Steady Ind 183-6 after 56 overs Sharma 46, Ashwin 7 Rohit has been looking very solid. He has managed to carry his ODI form into the Test arena too. A lot of people will say that he should have made his debut earlier but the time on the outside has done him good. He seems very well sorted now and in no hurry. Quick runs Ind 173-6 after 53 overs A flurry of runs in the last 11 balls has seen India eat away at the lead. West Indies are ahead by just 61 runs now. Dhoni falls Ind 156-6 after 51.1 overs WICKET! Big wicket for West Indies and potentially a match-changing ball. Dhoni didn’t move his feet and poked at the ball. The edge went straight to the keeper. Dhoni pretty livid with himself. M Dhoni c Ramdin b Best 42 (63b, 5x4) Closing in Ind 156-5 after 51 overs Rohit 31, Dhoni 42 The lead is down to India 78 runs now. India still have five wickets in hand and whittling down the target by taking a lot of singles. The ball is being changed now. It made a big difference in the Indian innings. Settling down Ind 148-5 after 49 overs Rohit 28, Dhoni 37 Suddenly the venom seems to have gone out of the bowling. But one wicket could change all that. Dhoni and Rohit are taking the singles and rotating the strike. The bowlers are constantly having to adjust their line and length.  Dhoni keeps scoreboard ticking Ind 140-5 after 47 overs Rohit 23, Dhoni 34 Sammy has finally taken himself off. We have spin from both ends. The pari has already put on 53 runs – the highest partnership in the innings. There is the odd edge that flies off.. but India showing some fight here. Dhoni keeps scoreboard ticking Ind 131-5 after 42 overs Another bad over by Sammy. He needs to get his thinking cap on and get a regular bowler in from this end. Shillingford is bowling maidens from the other end. They need to keep the pressure up. India and Dhoni won’t mind – they still trail by 103 runs. Sammy to begin things again Ind 126-5 after 40 overs Play resumes after lunch and for some strange reason, West Indies open with Darren Sammy. The WI skipper is bowling at 120 km/h and there is no fear here. Dhoni helped himself to a four off the last ball of the over too. It’s lunch Ind 120-5 after 39 overs [caption id=“attachment_1216271” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Shillingford was the star for WI. BCCI[/caption] It’s lunch. Permaul finally came into the attack, one over before lunch. Surely West Indies would like to have spin from both ends for at least a while. Dhoni and Rohit have looked to play their shots but they need to be careful too. India trail by 114 runs with 5 wickets remaining in the first innings. 83-5 in the 27-over session. West Indies win this one. Just as they won the first one on Day 1 too. It’s 2-2 as far as sessions go.

  Attack the best option Ind 111-5 after 37 overs Dhoni making Shillingford think here. Two fours – one over the infield forced Sammy to drop a fielder back – and then a straight drive. Dhoni has 20 off 25 balls. Tactics? Ind 101-5 after 35 overs Dhoni punched one through the off-side for four to take India past 100. The Indian skipper is a very smart cricketer and this isn’t the kind of pitch where one can just survive. You have to make the most of the time in the middle and keep the scorecard ticking.  Dhoni, Rohit hang on Ind 92-5 after 33 overs Two fours since the fall of Kohli’s wicket and little else. Windies have been tight all morning and they aren’t about to give it away now. Kohli gone too! Ind 83-5 after 30.2 overs India collapsing like a pack of cards here. Caught at short-leg, Kohli didn’t think it was out but the umpire had no hesitation in giving him out. Shillingford, who has been bowling unchanged since morning, has been superb. He has mixed it well – the doosra has worked and his length has been superb. V Kohli c Powell b Shillingford 3 (5b) Done in by the doosra Ind 82-4 after 28.3 overs The doosra gets him. Tendulkar, played down the wrong line, trapped in his crease by replays show that height may have been an issue. India is big trouble. A disappointed Tendulkar walks back. SR Tendulkar lbw b Shillingford 10 (24b, 2x4)  Bounced out Ind 79-3 after 27.4 overs A brute of a delivery from around the wicket by the left-armer. It was short, quick and coming into the batsman. Pujara tried to sway out of the way and guide it over the keeper’s head but failed. Ended up caught. Stunning bouncer. C Pujara c Ramdin b Cottrell 17 (36b, 2x4)

  Four and then, beaten Ind 71-2 after 25 overs Pujara 10, Tendulkar 9 This is not going to be an easy wicket to bat on. Cottrell, the left-armer, is bowling now and creating a rough for Shillingford to exploit. What will Tendulkar’s approach be? Will he try and hit his way out of trouble?   Four and then, beaten Ind 67-2 after 22 overs Pujara 6, Tendulkar 9 Four off the first ball, beaten by the low bounce on the second, four off the third ball through the leg-side. Then no runs but there have already been a few deliveries that have kept low to Sachin. This will not be an easy stay. Meanwhile, the crowd chants ‘Sachin, Sacccchinnnn."

  Focus on Sachin Ind 59-2 after 22 overs Pujara 6, Tendulkar 1 West Indies have been very good today. Nothing loose for the batsmen to take advantage of. The fields have been good too. The runs have not been easy to come by and Sachin will feel the pressure to. He is off the mark with a single.  Shillingford strikes again Ind 57-2 after 20.4 overs WICKET! Vijay gets stumped and the crowd cheers. Tendulkar in to bat. A bit too adventurous from the opener – no need to go on the attack. This is Test cricket right. Shillingford’s overspinner went on straight and fooled him compltely – beaten in the air and off the pitch. Pujara will not throw his wicket away but the focus will now be on Sachin. M Vijay st Ramdin b Shillingford 26 (75b, 2x4) Windies bowling well Ind 56-1 after 20 overs Tino Best is getting some reverse swing and he is putting in a lot of effort while bowling. For now, there have been no four balls on offer. Today, he has settled into a line and kept up the pressure. Shillingford has been very tight too. Six runs in the last three overs. Low bounce Ind 50-1 after 17 overs There isn’t a lot of bounce on this wicket. Vijay needs to be careful while playing his shots. Empty Eden Ind 42-1 after 14.4 overs WICKET! The ball kept low, and an inside edge went on to Dhawan’s stumps. Shillingford has struck an early blow for the West Indies. Shillingford dropped him on the previous ball and then got the wicket. He is bowling with a scrambled seam and that will probably scuff up the ball as well. A big crowd isn’t in yet. But just one more wicket before Sachin walks in to bat. S Dhawan b Shillingford 23 (34b, 4x4) Day 2 [caption id=“attachment_1215915” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sachin Tendulkar arrives at the Eden Gardens ahead of Day 2. BCCI[/caption] Day 2 is going to be all about Sachin Tendulkar. Will he get to bat? How long will he bat? How will Kolkata greet it’s hero? But look beyond that and India had a chance to press home the advantage. They would like to bat just once on this wicket if possible. The pitch is slowish… so not the best wicket to play shots. India will need to hang around to begin with. Shami got some reverse swing. Tino Best will too and that will be an interesting phase. Our coverage of Day 1 Shami could give India the cutting edge they need Shami makes best debut by Indian pacer in 46 years Day 1 report: Hometown hero Shami cuts Windies down to size Very soon, you’ll see Shami bowl delivery that reverses away: Coach How Tendulkar milked the crowd at Eden Gardens Selector who picked Tendulkar for 1989 Pak tour ignored by BCCI, CAB Close of play on day 1 West Indies 234 all out (Samuels 65, Shami 4-71) India 37-0 after 12 overs Dhawan 21, Vijay 16 India have negotiated the session comfortably and now are completely in charge. West Indies started off the day well - scoring 107-2 in the first session. But then things wen horribly wrong in the second session as they lost five wickets for the addition of just 85 runs. A few more wickets followed in the third session which saw 79 wickets being scored for the loss of three West Indies wickets. The game changing moment was probably the moment the umpires decided to change the ball in the 43rd over. It started reversing then and that’s when Shami came into the picture. He finished with 4-71 – the best debut by an Indian paceman in 46 years. India were helped by some pretty silly cricket from the West Indian batsmen. Bravo wandered out of his crease and was run out and Darren Sammy gave his wicket away too.