Related Links : West Indies’ Tour of India 2011/12 : Scorecard of India Vs West Indies, 2nd Test at Kolkata
It was a perfect day for India at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata as they made sure that they batted only once in this Test match by piling up a huge total of 631 for 7 declared and then got rid of the West Indian openers before bad light brough an early end on Day 2. Leading India’s assault with the bat on a hazy second day’s play were VVS Laxman and Skipper MS Dhoni who helped themselves with big centuries.
The morning started with Yuvraj Singh looking to get a good score in the company of VVS Laxman who was well set on 73. Though Yuvraj Singh (25 from 35 balls with 5 fours) started positively he couldn’t convert it into a significant score as Darren Sammy struck his pad infront of the stumps with a magical late inswinger. MS Dhoni replaced Yuvraj and with Laxman kept the momentum going. There was an early lunch at Kolkata with bad light interrupting play with India at 433 for 6 in 107 overs.
Dhoni was hugely lucky as he was caught behind by the keeper off Kemar Roach not once but twice! The Indian Skipper got away because Kemar Roach had made the fatal error of overstepping the bowling crease on both the occassions. Dhoni made Roach and West Indies pay heavily for that as he kept playing his shots freely to race away to a fifth Test century. By Tea, India was on the brink of declaration at 613 for 6 in 148 overs with Laxman on 168 and MS Dhoni on 138.
The light was fading quickly at Kolkata and MS Dhoni decided to futher intensify his attack on the West Indies. The Indian Skipper finished with a smashing 144 (from just 175 balls with 10 fours and 5 sixes) before he got caught behind trying to upper cut a rising delivery from Roach. Dhoni had put up a massive 224-run partnership for the 7th wicket with Laxman. The Indian innings was timely declared at 631 for 7 as light wasn’t going to stay any long. VVS Laxman had to settle with an unbeaten 176 (from 280 balls with 12 fours) and thus missing out in collecting a double century.
MS Dhoni started the West Indian innings by bringing on Pragyan Ojha to bowl the very first over. Just when everyone expected Ashwin to share the new ball, Dhoni sprung in a surprise by giving it to rookie fast bowler Umesh Yadav. It was a golden move from the Skipper as Umesh Yadav got a short of length delivery to kick away off the seam to force Adrian Barath (1 from 4 balls) to nick him behind to Sehwag at second slip. Sadly Umesh Yadav who was on fire with a wicket in just his second delivery was taken out of the attack to be replaced with off spinner R Ashwin as the Umpires were on the verge of calling off play due to bad light.
The newly married Ashwin was unlucky when he forced Kraigg Brathwaite to get a bat pad edge to shortleg which was put down by substitute fielder Virat Kohli. However, Ashwin soon found his luck when the same batsman was wrongly given caught bat pad at shortleg to a well flighted turning off break which only came off the pad. Brathwaite scored 17 from 31 balls before he was wrongly given out in the 12th over. Left handed Darren Bravo survived five balls for his 4* and Kirk Edwards remained on 12* (from 32 balls) when the Umpires decided that the light wasn’t fit for any further action.
West Indies closed the day’s play at a nervous 34 for 2 in 12 overs and are trailing behind by as many as 597 runs!