Sports
Jelani Beckles
John Campbell and Shai Hope continued to battle at the crease for West Indies on day four in the second Test match against India, but their centuries may not be enough to prevent the regional team from a 2-0 defeat in the two-match series.
Campbell, resuming day four on 87 not out, went on to score his maiden Test hundred with a knock of 115.
Hope, unbeaten on 66 overnight, also reached triple figures with an innings of 103.
The West Indies pair pushed the regional team’s second innings score to 390 all out. Despite the solid second innings total, India were only set a target of 121 because of their massive lead on first innings.
West Indies started day four on 173/2 in their second innings with Hope and Campbell at the crease. The pair took the Windies past 200 with Campbell picking up his hundred in the process.
After West Indies added 39 more runs to the total, Campbell fell leg before to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as his 199-ball innings came to a close. The left-hander struck 12 fours and three sixes.
West Indies captain Roston Chase came to the middle to join Hope as they put on 59 runs for the fourth wicket, before the latter was bowled by pacer Mohammed Siraj. Hope cracked 12 fours and two sixes during his 214-ball stay.
A collapse followed as West Indies lost five wickets for 18 runs as the visitors slipped from 293/4 to 311/9. During that collapse Chase fell for 40.
The last-wicket duo of Justin Greaves and Jayden Seales frustrated the India bowlers with a partnership of 79 runs. Seales was finally dismissed for 32 by ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Greaves ended on 50 not out off 85 deliveries, a knock comprising three fours.
Bumrah and left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the India bowlers with 3/44 and 3/104 respectively.
In pursuit of 121 for a 2-0 series sweep, India lost the early wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal for eight to left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican. With India 9/1, West Indies would have been hoping for more early wickets.
However, KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan batted for the rest of the day as India closed on 63/1, only 58 runs away from victory.
Sudharsan ended on 30 not out and Rahul is unbeaten on 25.
Summarised scores:
INDIA 518/5 dec. (Yashavi Jaiswal 175, Shubman Gill 129 not out, Sai Sudharsan 87; Jomel Warrican 3/98) and 63/1 (Target 121) (Sai Sudharsan 30 not out, KL Rahul 25 not out) vs WEST INDIES 248 (Alick Athanaze 41, Shai Hope 36; Kuldeep Yadav 5/82, Ravindra Jadeja 3/46) and 390 (John Campbell 115, S Hope 103, Justin Greaves 50 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 3/44, K Yadav 3/104, Mohammed Siraj 2/43). India need 58 more runs for victory.
