India Dominates Day 1 as West Indies Collapse in Ahmedabad
Mohammed Siraj’s fiery four-wicket haul led a relentless Indian bowling attack, leaving the West Indies struggling at 149/7 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Day 1 of the first Test. Captain Shubman Gill, in his second Test series as skipper and first on home soil, saw his bowlers execute their plans to perfection after the Windies opted to bat.
The West Indies innings was in tatters from the start, with the team losing crucial wickets throughout the first two sessions. Pacer Siraj was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming three wickets in the first session before returning to dismiss captain Roston Chase with an excellent delivery in the second, putting the Windies on the verge of a complete collapse.
Key Moments from the Second Session
Despite some momentary resistance, India maintained control. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar applied significant pressure. Kuldeep, making a strong comeback into the Test side, struck in just his second over. Sundar, introduced as the third spinner, also made his mark, trapping Khary Pierre lbw for his first wicket of the match, an extremely plumb dismissal that survived a DRS review.
Batter Justin Greaves showed the only real fight for the visitors, moving into the 30s as the highest run-scorer for the team. However, his stay at the crease was riddled with luck. He successfully reviewed a leg-before decision that would have given Siraj a well-deserved five-wicket haul, and was later dropped by a diving KL Rahul off a thick edge against Sundar.
Momentum remained with India as the session drew to a close. Jasprit Bumrah was brought back into the attack, and despite a thick outside edge from Jomel Warrican running away for four, the West Indies’ score crept to 149/7, their hopes of posting a competitive total dwindling rapidly.
