India vs West Indies, 1st Test, Day 2 as it happened: Shami strikes as hosts reach 31/1 at stumps

End of yet another interesting day of cricket, the highlight of which without a shred of doubt was skipper Virat Kohli getting to his maiden double-century! It will also be rememebered for Ashwin bringing up his third Test century, with all of them coming against the same opposition, Mishra’s comical fifty as well as Shami’s comeback wicket! India now hold a massive lead of 535 at the end of the day’s play, and are the clear favourites heading into the next day. West Indies, on the other hand, will certainly hope for their top-order to provide a strong resistance against a potent Indian attack on a surface that has been conducive for batting so far.

Shami's back! Gets his first international wicket since his knee surgery just before stumps on Day 2https://t.co/QAVyLfxNi1 #IndvsWI

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 22, 2016

After 16 overs,West Indies 31/1 ( Kraigg Brathwaite 11 , Devendra Bishoo 0)

OUT! Shami gets his first wicket in international cricket since recovering from his knee surgery that kept him out for a year! Fires a length ball outside off that shapes away from Chandrika, and gets a thick edge off his bat while travelling to the wicketkeeper’s gloves. West Indies lose their first wicket with 30 on board, with the hosts sending Devendra Bishoo as the nightwatchman. They add just one more run before stumps, trailing India by another 535 runs at the end of the day’s play.

After 10 overs,West Indies 19/0 ( Kraigg Brathwaite 5 , Rajindra Chandrika 10)

Ishant keeps it short for the most part, which actually results in the first boundary of the West Indian innings, with the ball deflecting off Chandrika’s helmet after edging off his bat, over the keeper’s head towards the long-stop boundary. Both Ishant and Umesh keep it economical at the start of the innings, with Mohammed Shami getting to bowl his first over in international cricket since the 2015 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia.

After 5 overs,West Indies 4/0 ( Kraigg Brathwaite 0 , Rajindra Chandrika 3)

Kraigg Brathwaite and Rajendra Chandrika walk out to bat after India’s declaration on 566. The duo start things off slowly, with the hosts getting just one run off the first four overs, that too off a bye, before collecting three off the fifth over. Ishant and Umesh have started things off with the new ball, and are exhibiting some movement early in the West Indian innings.

A brief reminder of what has happened on Day 2 so far.

India declare on 566/8
On Day 2, @imVkohli gets maiden double ton@ashwinravi99 gets 3rd Test ton
53 for @MishiAmit pic.twitter.com/BZTjaCKm3q

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 22, 2016

566/8 is India's second-highest total in Tests in West Indies. Highest being 588/8 in Gros Islet in 2006. #WIvIND

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) July 22, 2016

After 161.5 overs,India 566/8 ( Mohammed Shami 17)

Ashwin’s dismissal for 113 brings out the crazy batsman in Mishra, who plays shots that are as unorthodox as they can get! Helped by a couple of sixes from Mohammed Shami, Mishra manages to get to his half-century, with some comical shots and horrendous misfields by the hosts along the way). The Indians finally declare after Mishra sends the next ball straight down Jason Holder’s throat at mid-on to depart for 53, with India declaring on 566/8.

OUT! Ashwin’s innings, which was marked with patience and steadfastness, comes to an end with a rash shot. The off-spinner, who earlier brought up his third Test ton — all of them coming against the same side — looks to smash Kraigg Brathwaite while coming down the track. Miscues, and offers Gabriel a simple catch near deep instead to depart for 113 (253); India lose their seventh with 526 on board!

2011. 2013. And now in 2016.

3rd Test ton for @ashwinravi99! All 3 tons have come vs @westindies!

LIVE: https://t.co/QAVyLfxNi1 #IndvsWI #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/wXcwkFmKcn

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 22, 2016

Century by @ashwinravi99 is not just milestone for him, but could reconfigure India's batting line-up & tactics going ahead...

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) July 22, 2016

After 154 overs,India 512/6 ( Ravichandran Ashwin 106 , Amit Mishra 23)

Ravi Ashwin does it! After what seemed like ages, the off-spinner finally gets to the three-digit mark after 237 deliveries! All the talk of being patient during one’s batting seems to have rubbed off on Ashwin, and he was rock solid in his defence against the West Indians, who seemed to have wrested back the momentum with the dismissals of Kohli and Saha! India are well past 500 now, with the umpire calling for tea at the end of the 154th over, and it remains to be seen what Kohli’s call after the break will be.

After 145 overs,India 477/6 ( Ravichandran Ashwin 95 , Amit Mishra 1)

After a slow start, Saha looks to entertain the sparesly-populated stadium by going for the big hits. Comes down the track in the 142nd over to smash Roston Chase over long-on for the second six of the match, before getting stumped off Brathwaite’s bowling while dancing down the track, with the ball turning more than what he would have liked! Mishra walks out to bat, with Ashwin approaching his century now.

After 140 overs,India 458/5 ( Ravichandran Ashwin 91 , Wriddhiman Saha (W) 26)

It’s Ashwin in the nervous 90s now, and he is taking all the time in the world to get to the mark. Runs are coming by quite slow at the moment for India, and it looks like it’s going to stay like that for the rest of the session now, unless Ashwin goes on a sudden burst after getting to three-figures! Meanwhile, it’s chase and Kraigg Brathwaite bowling in tandem right now, and the former is still looking for his maiden Test wicket!

Well what do we have here? KL Rahul turns cameraman after getting droppedhttps://t.co/QAVyLfxNi1 #IndvsWI #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/PziuwdYf2T

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 22, 2016

After 135 overs,India 445/5 ( Ravichandran Ashwin 84 , Wriddhiman Saha (W) 20)

Kohli’s dismissal has slammed the brakes on India’s quick run-scoring rate, with some of the momentum shifting in the hosts’ favour. All eyes on Ashwin now, who is 16 runs away from his third Test ton! Meanwhile, chance for Saha to shine with the bat against a tired attack…

After 125 overs,India 417/5 ( Ravichandran Ashwin 71 , Wriddhiman Saha (W) 5)

Kohli’s marathon innings finally comes to an end, bringing some smiles back on the hosts’ faces after ages. Wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha walks out alongside Ashwin, with the latter strolling through in the 70s at the moment. The off-spinner getting to his third Test ton would be cherry on the cake after Kohli’s feat! Should the Indians declare straightaway though? Or should they get to a total in excess of 500? Share your thoughts on the poll that we shared just a while back

Go right ahead and cast your vote! 

How much should the Indian team declare on today?

LIVE: https://t.co/QAVyLfPo9z #IndvsWI #WIvIND

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 22, 2016

Such a terrific year he is having right now!

Virat Kohli before 2016:

No T20 Century
No Test Double Century

Virat Kohli now has

Four T20 Centuries
Scored First Test Double Century

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) July 22, 2016

Kohli is the first Indian to get out exactly for 200 and second captain after Mushfiqur Rahim. #WIvIND

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) July 22, 2016

OUT! GABRIEL DOES IT RIGHT AFTER LUNCH, AND IT IS KOHLI WHO HAS TO DEPART

Length ball from Gabriel outside off, Kohli looks to push it on the backfoot through the covers while resuming his innings in a bid to scale greater heights than ever. Gets a thick inside-edge instead, which results in his long walk back to the pavilion. Receives a standing ovation on his way back, as India lose their fifth wicket with 404 on board, with the 168-run fifth-wicket stand coming to an end.

It a surprise that no Indian captain since 1932 ie in 84 years, spanning 247 Tests has managed to make 200+ in an away Test match!#WIvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 22, 2016

After 119 overs,India 404/4 ( Virat Kohli (C) 200 , Ravichandran Ashwin 64)

VIRAT KOHLI COMPLETES HIS MAIDEN TEST DOUBLE-TON! The moment that we have all been waiting for has finally arrived! As if the year 2016 wasn’t special enough for him, he manages to get his maiden Test double-ton now! India go to lunch at a commanding score of 404/4, and could easily declare at 500 in the middle of the second session today!

The kind of form that he is in right now…

FOUR! And with that, Ashwin brings up his seventh Test half-century! He may have walked out as a nightwatchman in the final session of the previous game, but has proved to be a real souce of support for Kohli, and a thorn for the hosts! Gets to the mark with a cut back of point off Gabriel.

After 110 overs,India 375/4 ( Virat Kohli (C) 190 , Ravichandran Ashwin 45)

Kohli is batting in the nervous 190s right now, and one can only imagine the wide range of emotions that he will go through once he gets to the big milestone! Ashwin, on the other hand, is nearing his seventh fifty as well. Barring Ashwin’s dropped chance, the first session has almost entirely belonged to the visitors.

Speaks volumes of the progress that the star has made over the years! 

Kohli had made just 76 runs in 5 inns of the 2011 tour to West Indies. He has now scored more than 180 runs in just 1 inns of this tour.

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) July 22, 2016

After 105 overs,India 358/4 ( Virat Kohli (C) 173 , Ravichandran Ashwin 45)

Ashwin seems to have recovered from the lapse of concentration that nearly ended his innings, and is steadily moving towards his seventh Test fifty. Meanwhile, Kohli goes past his highest Test score of 169, and now looks set to create personal history. Bishoo and Carlos Brathwaite are bowling in tandem right now, and seem to have little effect on the set pair right now.

Such is life…

Do you know?
Amit Mishra has scored a double-century in first-class cricket.
But Kohli hasn't yet! #WIvInd

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) July 22, 2016

FOUR! And Virat Kohli moves to his highest score in Tests (172*)!

LIVE: https://t.co/QAVyLfxNi1 #IndvsWI #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/scSV664557

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 22, 2016

Somewhere in the Caribbean, Denesh Ramdin is sporting a wry smile

LIVE: https://t.co/QAVyLfxNi1 #IndvsWI #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/ivH0Nbo2K1

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 22, 2016

After 100 overs,India 346/4 ( Virat Kohli (C) 163 , Ravichandran Ashwin 43)

Gabriel manages to set Ashwin up in the 97th over, inducing a thick edge off his bat to keeper Dowrich, who drops what can be described as one of the simplest catches there can be. Ashwin earns a reprieve on 43. Let’s see if he makes the most of it or not.

After 95 overs,India 331/4 ( Virat Kohli (C) 154 , Ravichandran Ashwin 39)

Kohli and Ashwin walk out with a sense of purpose, which is to get India to a total that is beyond WI’s reach. Ashwin surely seems to have started things off on this note, hammering three boundaries in the first five overs of the day to move within striking distance of his seventh Test fifty. Kohli, on the other hand, gets to his 150 with a boundary towards fine-leg. For the hosts, skipper Holder is sharing the new ball with Gabriel after they decided to take the new ball.

Meanwhile, the stats on Kohli just keep pouring in…

37th international 100.....
Yesterday Virat Kohli reached his in 276 inns
Nov 1998 Sachin Tendulkar reached his in 294 inns#WIvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 22, 2016

Meanwhile, the stats on Kohli just keep pouring in…

37th international 100.....
Yesterday Virat Kohli reached his in 276 inns
Nov 1998 Sachin Tendulkar reached his in 294 inns#WIvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 22, 2016

He has a point you know…

The only way West Indies can stop @imVkohli from scoring runs is by hiding his kitbag😂😂😂..Keep going SHERA.good luck @BCCI

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 22, 2016

Hello and welcome to the Live Blog for the second day of the first Test match between India and West Indies. Captain Kohli’s ton has put the visitors in a strong position. Will he go on to hit a double today or will the Windies stage a fightback? Stay tuned for all updates