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Pursuit of perfection: Jaiswal extends WI agony on Day 1
All the Indian batters had a shot control percentage of over 90 and that meant that visitors were always under the pump
New Delhi: If you have ever been on the Delhi-Agra highway (or any of the newer highways for that matter), you have a pretty good idea what the first day of the second Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla was like. The journey was smooth but it wasn’t exciting, nothing stood out, speed limits were maintained and eventually, the destination was reached.
Rarely, if ever, was a false shot played as India made 318/2 after 90 overs at close of play. At the crease were Yashasvi Jaiswal on 173 (253 balls) and Shubman Gill on 20 (68).
The day flowed along expected lines — India won the toss, chose to bat and then got stuck in. But it was the home side’s ruthless pursuit of perfection that took centrestage. All the India batters had a shot control percentage of over 90 and that speaks volumes about their intent.
The thing about a chance is that you need to get it. All the West Indies have been looking for since the tour of India began is a chance to show that they can be better; that they too can rise again but such has been the single-minded focus of the Indians that their wait shows no sign of ending.
Two wickets did fall to left-arm orthodox spinner Jomel Warrican, who got the ball to turn sharply on both occasions. He was unfortunately unable to reproduce the deliveries often enough during the day’s play. No one else could either.
From the start, it was clear that India weren’t in a rush to stamp their authority on the game. They weren’t anxious or in need to prove something. Rather, KL Rahul and Jaiswal started the day with quiet confidence. The first 15 overs yielded just 41 runs for no loss. As the old adage goes, give the first hour to the bowlers and then make merry for the rest of the day.
India did exactly that. Both batters started to open their shoulders after the first hour and the runs started to come quicker. However, just when Rahul (38) looked set to raise the excitement quotient, he was dismissed by Warrican’s first jaffer — a delivery that turned 8.4 degrees out of the blue.
The right-hander, in a punishing mood after having spent some time in the middle, could only shake his head as he walked back after being stumped. Was it a sign of things to come? No, because nothing else came close.
That wicket meant that Sai Sudharsan, who was under some pressure coming into the game, started sedately. This was an opportunity that he had to make the most of but he was motoring along soon after. For 106 deliveries, his control percentage was an immaculate 100 percent. Then, on 58, he was dropped.
Sudharsan looked to flick the ball but got a leading edge. Warrican, at short midwicket, was alert to the chance and he dived, got both hands to the ball but as he landed, it popped out. A rare chance had come and gone.
Thereafter, normal service resumed with Jaiswal in particular hitting the ball to the boundary with ease. Sudharsan came into focus multiple times as his flicks painted the picture of a man who liked to play wrist shots.
The partnership was a steady 193 off 305 balls when Sudharsan got a sharp turner (6.4 degrees) from Warrican. It trapped him lbw after a fine 87 off 165 balls. The average turn Warrican extracted through the day was 2.6 degrees but the two that did something out of the ordinary helped them earn some relief.
It wasn’t enough though as Jaiswal was in no mood to let up. He raced to his seventh Test century off just 145 balls and looked good for plenty more. The left-hander has converted both his prior home tons into double tons and the odds are in his favour again.
His cover drive was particularly productive — with 37 runs (7 fours) coming through that shot alone but it was his judgement and determination that stood out the most. Batting wasn’t difficult but you still had to pick the right shot for the right ball and he did that immaculately all day.
Day 2 will bring with it a different set of challenges for both teams. For India, the day should be about setting a total as quickly as possible and then taking a crack at the West Indies. For the visitors, it has to be about producing more wicket-taking deliveries that will spice up the contest just a little bit more.
