Day 2 of the first Test between India and the West Indies in Ahmedabad saw India seize complete control, ending the day with a commanding 286-run lead. Stellar batting performances, including centuries from KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, and Ravindra Jadeja, propelled India to a formidable score of 448/5 at stumps.
India began the day trailing by 41 runs, but quickly erased the deficit. KL Rahul, resuming his innings, reached his century, his 11th overall and first at home since 2016. Shubman Gill also contributed a half-century before being dismissed for 50. Jadeja and Jurel then dominated the West Indies bowlers, adding a mammoth 206-run partnership. Jurel's aggressive approach led to his maiden Test century, a knock of 125 featuring 15 fours and 3 sixes. Jadeja continued his excellent form from the England series, scoring his sixth Test century and remaining unbeaten on 104 at the end of the day. Washington Sundar was also at the crease, batting on 9.
The West Indies bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen, managing only three wickets throughout the day. Khary Pierre, a debutant left-arm spinner, eventually broke the Jurel-Jadeja partnership by dismissing Jurel. Despite taking the second new ball, the West Indies attack failed to make significant inroads into the Indian batting lineup.
Looking ahead to Day 3, India is in a dominant position and will be aiming to press their advantage. With a substantial lead and further batting to come, the hosts will be looking to accelerate the scoring and force a result. One strategy might be to declare overnight and exploit the early morning conditions with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Alternatively, India might choose to bat through the first session, further tiring the West Indies before unleashing their bowlers.
The West Indies face an uphill battle to get back into the game. Their bowlers looked tired after toiling for 90 overs on Day 2. The team will need to regroup and find a way to take the remaining Indian wickets quickly to limit the damage. Their batsmen will then face a daunting task of erasing a large deficit against a confident Indian bowling attack.
