WEST Indies trail India by 270 in their second innings with seven wickets remaining after Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma both scored hundreds in Mumbai, to leave the hosts firmly in control on day two of the second Test match yesterday.
The Windies made light work of tail-enders Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4) and Pragyan Ojha (0) shortly after tea break.
However, the tourists’ hopes of minimising the damage already done soon evaporated as Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami dug in and put together a record 10-wicket partnership (between the countries) of 80.
Sharma (111 not out) played positively on the back off his 177 in the first Test. He was, however, lucky not to be given out on 85 when he skied a Shane Shillingford delivery that was well taken in the deep. Upon review from the umpire, it was clear the bowler had overstepped for a front-foot no ball.
The 26-year-old then went on to bring up his second successive Test century in style as he smashed Marlon Samuels over the long on boundary, after a brief period of the nervous nineties.
Narsingh Deonarine concluded matters when Shami (11) went for a slog sweep, but didn’t get enough and was caught at deep backward square by Tino Best.
At lunch, the home side was on 282 for three after Sachin Tendulkar fell for 74.
The “Little Master” added another 36 runs to his overnight total, thrilling the jubilant crowd with some exquisite boundaries, most of all the straight drive off Tino Best to bring up his 68th half-century.
The 40-year-old faced 118 deliveries and scored 12 boundaries in what could possibly be his last innings, before Narsingh Deonarine silenced the adoring Mumbai fans.
Tendulkar tried to play a fine cut shot, but was outdone by the extra bounce that found the edge resulting in a sharp catch, taken head-high by the Windies skipper Darren Sammy, at first slip. This was also the end of a 144-run third-wicket partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara.
Scores in brief: West Indies (1st Innings): 182 all out. India (1st Innings): 495 all out. Pujara 113, Sharma 111*, Tendulkar 74, Shillingford 5-179. West Indies (2nd Innings): 43/3.
