Spinners keep India in command | The Express Tribune

India’s spinners struck regular blows to dent West Indies’ reply as the hosts extended their dominance in the second Test after a fluent century from skipper Shubman Gill on Saturday.

The tourists were 140-4 at stumps, still trailing India by 378 runs at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Shai Hope, on 31, and wicketkeeper-batsman Tevin Imlach, on 14, were batting at close of play after left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets.

Gill led from the front with his unbeaten 129 — his fifth hundred of the year in eight Tests — after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s departure on 175 in the second over of the second day.

In reply to India’s mammoth first-innings 518-5 declared, opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34) and Alick Athanaze (41) offered some resistance before departing.

Chanderpaul edged a short-of-a-length ball from Jadeja to slip where KL Rahul caught it after a couple of juggles to end a 66-run second-wicket stand.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav sent back Athanaze and in the next over skipper Roston Chase was dismissed for a duck off Jadeja.

Hope kept up the fight after he survived a close lbw appeal, which India reviewed but lost as ball tracking confirmed the umpire’s call.

In the second session, West Indies opener John Campbell fell for 10 after Sai Sudharsan somehow took a stunning and slightly lucky reflex catch at forward short-leg.

The left-handed Campbell attempted a slog sweep off Jadeja and Sudharsan instinctively held on to the ball with his helmet, chest and hands as he ducked for cover.

Gill, who started the day on 20, took on the West Indies attack with his classy strokeplay, hitting 16 fours and two sixes in his 10th Test century.

Gill scored three runs off left-arm spinner Khary Pierre to reach a hundred and raised his bat to acknowledge a raucous weekend crowd.

He and wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel, who made 44, shared 102 runs for the fifth wicket and put on quick runs peppered with regular boundaries after the lunch break to turn the screw on the West Indies.

Earlier, the left-handed Jaiswal added just two to his overnight score when a mix-up with Gill saw him heading back to the pavilion.

Attempting a single after pushing the ball to mid-off, Jaiswal set off, but Gill had his back towards the striker and was ball-watching, and Imlach was quick to rattle the stumps.

Gill kept calm and put on 91 runs with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 43 before Jomel Warrican got him out for his third wicket.

India are hot favourites to sweep the two-match series after winning the opener by an innings.