Related Links : India’s Tour of West Indies 2011 : Scorecard of West Indies Vs India, 1st Test at Kingston
India from a disastrous 85 for 6 recovered to put up 246 in their first innings after winning the toss and electing to bat first in the 1st Digicel Test at the Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. On a lively pitch which helped the pacers and also produced square turn on the first day itself, India would thank half centurions – Suresh Raina (82) and Harbhajan Singh (70) for helping them put up a competitive total. West Indies finished Day 1 almost struggling at 34 for 1 in 20 overs with the pitch behaving like a fourth or a fifth day track!
Toss and Teams :
MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked like a damp pitch. The visitors fielded three Test Debutants in opener Abhinav Mukund, Virat Kohli and Praveen Kumar. West Indies strangely omitted express bowler Kemar Roach but brought back Fidel Edwards.
Tale of the First Session :
Murali Vijay (8) started off confidently driving on the up but paid penalty trying to go through the line yet again and was first man out in the 4th over slicing Ravi Rampaul to backward point where Bishoo took a catch in the second attempt. Left handed Abhinav Mukund who didn’t look convincing was out next in the 12th over when he dragged an expansive cover drive onto the stumps off a Rampaul indipper to have India at 30 for 2. The introduction of leggie Devendra Bishoo saw him capture the big wicket of VVS Laxman with the very first ball he bowled in the match! It was in the 23rd over that Laxman (12) got out edging his cover drive to a tossed up leg break straight into the hands of slip. Just at the stroke of Lunch, India lost debutant Virat Kohli (4) edging a perfect outswinger from Fidel Edwards to the keeper. West Indies was on top leaving India at 69 for 4 in 25.3 overs with Dravid the hope batting on 30.
Tale of the Afternoon Session :
It was a massive double blow almost immediately after lunch by leggie Bishoo which had India at 85 for 6 by the 29th over! The well set Rahul Dravid got out just like VVS edging an expansive cover drive off a turning leg break to slip. Dravid threw his wicket having got to 40 from just 67 balls with 7 fours. Skipper MS Dhoni was out for a second ball duck stabbing a turning and jumping leg break from Bishoo to slip.
India looked to be bundled out soon but it was instead a superb counter attack from Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina complemented him with some positive batting. Soon the boundaries kept on coming at a fair pace to take India towards a better looking total and by the Tea break, West Indies struggled to break this partnership! India went to Tea at 219 for 6 in 53 overs with both the batsmen striking crucial half centuries!
Tale of the Final Session :
West Indies got their act together in the final session to bowl out India for 246 in 61.2 overs. The fighting stand between Raina and Harbhajan was broken in the 57th over. Bishoo took an acrobatic diving catch to his left to hold onto a top edge off a Harbhajan hook to a bouncer from Fidel Edwards. Harbhajan scored a brilliant 70 from 74 balls with 10 fours and a six while adding up 146 runs for the 7th wicket.
Raina lost two partners in no time after the long partnership with Harbhajan. Praveen Kumar was lbw to a full length inswinger from Edwards while Mishra gloved a rising delivery from the same bowler to the slip cordon. Suresh Raina looking to go for a desperate pull was the last man out miscuing a slower short pitch ball from Rampaul to deep squareleg. Raina fell for a heroic 82 which came in 115 balls with 15 fours. Fidel Edwards finished with 4 for 56, Rampaul with 3 for 59 while Bishoo got taken for 75 runs in 11 overs despite taking three wickets.
West Indies came out to bat for more than an hour and they finished the first day’s play at 34 for 1 in 20 overs. They lost Lendl Simmons (3 from 23 balls) who got caught bat pad off an inside edge in a flick shot off Ishant in the 10th over. Barath with 26* and Sarwan with 2* saw through the rest of the session surviving the excellent bowling from the Indians on a difficult pitch.