Kohli 87 puts India in control in Trinidad

The West Indies delivered a much-improved performance on day one of the second Test in Trinidad but it remained India’s day as half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli put the visitors in control. The skipper added 139 runs alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first wicket before the West Indies hit back through the second session, picking up four wickets. India slipped to 182-4 at Tea, but Virat Kohli put the Men in Blue back on track, scoring an unbeaten 87 and adding 106 with Ravindra Jadeja in his 500^th game in international cricket.

The pitch at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain allowed for more free-flowing run-scoring compared to the first Test, and the Indian openers capitalised on the favourable batting conditions in the first session, adding 121 runs in 26 overs. Both batters brought up their half-centuries before Lunch, becoming the first Indian pair to add consecutive opening century stands since the turn of the century.

Rohit played a couple of trademark pulls over the ropes throughout the morning, while Jaiswal showed considerable aggression to get to his half-century in just 49 deliveries. Alick Athanaze dropped Jaiswal at first slip on the penultimate ball before Lunch off Jason Holder, but the all-rounder had his man shortly after the break, drawing an outside edge that flew to debutant Kirk McKenzie at gully.

Coming in at number three, Shubman Gill failed to impress once again, edging behind off Kemar Roach before Jomel Warrican produced a beauty to send back Rohit Sharma on 80, getting one to turn past the outside edge and cannon into the stumps. The hosts rounded up their excellent session with the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane on the stroke of Tea, as Shannon Gabriel sent the Indian vice-captain’s stumps for a spin via an inside edge.

The four wickets forced Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja to get off to a watchful start after Tea, with the pair focusing on rebuilding the innings and putting on a partnership. Kohli took his time to get settled but looked in great touch once he found his groove, lacing a pair of majestic cover drives and reaching his second consecutive half-century in 98 deliveries. Kohli finished the day 13 runs short of his century and added 106 with Ravindra Jadeja in the final session, taking India to a commanding position of 288 for four at stumps.