NORTH SOUND: Ravichandran Ashwin bowled India to the verge of a crushing victory over the West Indies with the home side reaching tea at 201 for eight following-on in their second innings, a deficit of 122 runs, on the fourth day of the first Test on Sunday.
Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side's batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul to add to a century with the bat in his team's only innings of the match.
He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease.
But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including Marlon Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs.
Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval.
However, Carlos Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo offered unexpected resistance with a stand so far worth 69 runs. Brathwaite resumes in the final session on 38 alongside Bishoo, whose 32 not out is already his best in Test cricket.
Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing's defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India's potent combination of pace and spin.
Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score.
Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays.
Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin.
His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality.
Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout, only for Brathwaite and Bishoo to give the sprinkling of West Indian fans at the venue something to cheer about with their entertaining partnership, even if it appeared to only be delaying the inevitable.
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