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India’s opening batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, displayed exceptional form on the first day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad. After West Indies captain Kraig Brathwaite chose to field upon winning the toss, the Indian openers made the most of the favorable conditions, dominating the first session and setting the stage for an impressive total.
The duo took charge from the very beginning, confidently dispatching the deliveries to the boundary. The West Indies bowlers struggled to break through their solid partnership as India posted a formidable 121-0 on the scoreboard within just 26 overs.
After the lunch break, Jaiswal – who looked in fine touch – departed for a well-compiled 57 runs off 74 deliveries. His dismissal was a moment of respite for the West Indies bowlers. Soon after, Shubman Gill, who joined Rohit at the crease, fell cheaply, adding to the Windies’ hopes of gaining control.
Rohit, the aggressive right-hander, continued to showcase his class and elegance with the bat. He displayed an array of shots, smashing nine fours and two sixes en route to his impressive knock of 80 runs. However, his dismissal, bowled by Jomel Warrican, provided a much-needed breakthrough for the West Indies.
As the Indian innings faced some hiccups, Virat Kohli – playing his 500th international game – took charge of the situation. Teaming up with Ravindra Jadeja, he led India’s revival and thwarted the spirited bowling performance from the West Indies in the second session. Kohli played with his trademark determination and skill, remaining unbeaten on a magnificent 87 runs.
Kohli and Jadeja forged an unbroken 106-run partnership, steering India back on track and ensuring the team ended the first day’s play at a respectable 288/4. Kohli’s resilience and Jadeja’s supporting role provided India with the much-needed stability after the fall of quick wickets.
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal joined Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaikwad in a unique list
Rohit and Yashasvi have etched their names in the history books by joining an elite group of Indian cricketers with consecutive century stands in an away series.
The previous Indian opening pairs to register consecutive century stands in away series include some legendary names from Indian cricket history:
- Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay in 2008-09
- Sunil Gavaskar and Farokh Engineer in 1973-74
- Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaikwad in 1976
- Sunil Gavaskar and Arun Lal in 1982
- Sadagoppan Ramesh and Devang Gandhi in 1999
By joining this elite group, Rohit and Yashasvi have showcased their ability to adapt and thrive in challenging overseas conditions, further solidifying their position as a formidable opening pair for India.
