After getting off to a positive start, West Indies lost three wickets in the first session and managed to put 86/3 on the score board at lunch on Day One of the ongoing Second Test here at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday.
Opting to bat first, West Indies accumulated 32 runs for the first wicket with their openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell, contributing a scores of 10 and 22, respectively.
The partnership did not last long as Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin gave his side the first breakthrough in the form of Kieran Powell who failed to read a short-length delivery of the right-arm bowler and gave an easy catch to Ravindra Jadeja at covers.
After adding 4 more runs to his individual total, another Caribbean opener, Braithwaite, fell to an absolute beauty from Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and departed at the score 14 runs.
After losing their openers, wicket-keeper batsman Shai Hope and left-hand batsman Shimron Hetmyer started to build a steady partnership to keep their scoreboard ticking.
This time, it was Indian pacer Umesh Yadav who provided India with a much-needed breakthrough right before the end of the first session.
Solid-looking Hope (36) was completely beaten by a quick delivery from Yadav and was given lbw out by the field umpire.
India are currently leading the Two-match Test series 1-0. If they manage to win this match, it would be their 10th consecutive series win at home since 2013.
The ongoing series against West Indies is part of India's preparation ahead of the crucial Test series against Australia and the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.
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