West Indies vs India, 2nd Test, Day 2 — KL Rahul ton consolidates India's position

INDIA, 1ST INNINGS; WEST INDIES 196

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OVER 70 || SCORE 203/1 (Rahul 117; Pujara 44)

Post Lunch, India reached 200 runs, and the lead has extended to 7 runs.

Cheteshwar Pujara need another six runs to reach his fifty. But India's scoring rate has been slow. 21 runs in the last 10 overs.

Lokesh Rahul, after hitting his third Test ton, is batting sensibly.

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OVER 63 || SCORE 185/1 (Rahul 107; Pujara 37)

LUNCH

Another good morning for India with Lokesh Rahul completing his third Test ton, and Cheteswhar Pujara starting to start scoring.

In the final stretch, India increased the scoring rate, and reduced the deficit to 11 runs.

West Indies bowlerd bowled with discipline, but no wicket-taking deliveries.

The second-wicket stand already worth 98 runs in 43.3 overs.

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Hundred in every second Test match for Lokesh Rahul. A six over long-on, and hundred for the young batsman.

2nd Test. 55.6: R Chase to L Rahul (102), 6 runs, 171/1 https://t.co/v9ikEY2mzR #WIvInd

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 31, 2016

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OVER 55 || SCORE 163/1 (Rahul 87; Pujara 28)

Finally, both Lokesh Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara started to play run scoring shots. Thanks to their patience, the second-wicket stand is now worth 76 from 35.3 overs.

Rahul is one hit away from his third ton.

India need another 33 runs to overtake Zimbabwe's first innings total of 196.

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OVER 50 || SCORE 148/1 (Rahul 87; Pujara 20)

Brilliant effort from West Indies bowlers to restrict India's scoring. In the last ten overs, India have scored 16 runs only.

Lokesh Rahul, understandably, has ceased to look for runs. He is on 87, off 160 balls. Cheteshwar, as expected, is holding on too. His 20 runs came from 90 balls. Rather slow!

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OVER 45 || SCORE 141/1 (Rahul 82; Pujara 18)

Lokesh Rahul moved into the 80's as India reduced West Indies' first innings lead to 55.

India's scoring rate is undoubtedly slow, but that's what required. West Indies bowlers have been impressive so far, both Jason Holder and Shannon Gabriel are operating with discipline.

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OVER 38 || SCORE 127/1 (Rahul 76; Pujara 18)

One run from the day's first over, bowled by Shannon Gabriel. Lokesh Rahul took the single off the third ball after playing out two dot balls.

His batting partner Cheteshwar Pujara negotiated the remaining three balls.

The India dou has added 40 runs for the second-wicket.

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DAY 1 RECAP

Indian continued from where they left in Antigua, and toyed with a fickle looking West Indies. First, Ravichandran Ashwin produced yet another 5-wicket haul – his 18th in 34 Tests – to fold up Windies innings for 196; then Lokesh Rahul batted beautifully as India made 126/1 in 37 overs.

West Indies skipper Jason Holder's decision to bat first at Sabina Park backfired as they posted their third lowest first innings total in Kingston.

India will resume the second day with Rahul on 75 and Cheteshwar Pujara on 18. Shikhar Dhawan (27) was the lone wicket to fall on Day 1, which witnessed India playing a dominating game of cricket thanks to a brilliant start provided by the pace duo of Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

Sharma took two wickets in the third over, accounting for Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo; then Shami removed Rajendra Chandrika in the sixth over to left West Indies reeling at 7/3. The middle order also failed to impress, even though Jermaine Blackwood's run-a-ball 62 did briefly kept the innings alive.

But it too proved too fickle against an inspired Indian attack. Marlon Samuels failed one again. His score of 37 off 88 ball had the bearing of becoming a brilliant Test knock, but Ashwin got him when he was looking good.

A brief rain interruption, just after Lunch seemed to have given Windies extra time to ponder. But once the play resumed, Indian bowlers took complete control with Virat Kohli going for the kill.

The skipper's relentlessness paid rich dividends as India bowl out West Indies early, giving Indian openers enough overs to the a recee of the Sabina Park pitch.

Brief scores

West Indies: 196 all out (Jermaine Blackwood 62, Marlon Samuels 37; Ravichandran Ashwin 5/52, Mohammed Shami 2/23); India: 126/1 (KL Rahul 75 no, Shikhar Dhawan 27)

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Welcome to our coverage of the Day 2 of second Test match between West Indies and India, being played at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamica.