West Indies pacer Kemar Roach said that it was a good feeling to take the wickets of India batsman KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli on successive deliveries in the second innings of the ongoing Test match at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
"It was a good feeling. Obviously, the Indian batting line-up is very strong, so to be on a hat-trick against those guys is obviously a good feeling. I'd have liked to get it, but a little more luck the next time it hits on the stumps and it will go my way, but I am pretty happy for what happened," Roach said in the post-match conference here.
In the second innings, Roach scalped three Indian wickets while he was able to get hold of one wicket in the first innings.
After having a lead of 299 runs, India got off to a bad start in the second innings as Mayank Agarwal (4) was caught plum in front and as a result, he was adjudged leg-before wicket. India did not lose any more wicket and they went to the lunch break with the score of 16/1.
After the break, Windies bowlers were able to keep the run-rate in check as they did not give loose balls for India to dispatch for boundaries. The team from the Caribbean was able to scalp two prized wickets in succession as both KL Rahul (6) and Virat Kohli (0) departed cheaply.
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara (27) put up a brief 21-run stand, but skipper Jason Holder had the latter caught at third slip, reducing India to 57/4.
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Rahane and Hanuma Vihari ensured India did not lose more wickets and the team went to the tea break with a score of 73/4, leading Windies by 372 runs.
After the interval, both batsmen scored at a brisk pace and further consolidated the lead for the Indian team. The duo brought up their individual fifties and took the lead past the 460-run mark.
With the score at 168/4 in the second innings, skipper Kohli decided to declare India's innings, setting Windies a target of 468 for the win. Rahane and Vihari were involved in an unbeaten stand of 111 runs. The two remained unbeaten on 64 and 53, respectively.
"It's flattened out a bit more. It's not as bouncy as it was the first couple of days. There is still enough there for the bowlers. Still, have to apply yourself as a batsman and have to grind and get that score, but I think once you get in it gets way easier - so it's all about the guys being positive and grinding and obviously getting the score," Roach said.
In pursuit of 468, Windies got off to a poor start as the side lost its opener Kraigg Brathwaite (3) in the third over of the innings. Ishant Sharma had Brathwaite caught at the hands of wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant.
John Campbell (16) was also not able to stay at the crease for a long time as he was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Shami as he had him caught at third slip, reducing Windies to 37/2.
Shamarh Brooks and Darren Bravo saw off the day without any more hiccups and Windies ended the day at 45/2, still, 443 runs away from the target.
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