India’s domination in Dominica extended to a second consecutive day as Jaiswal and Rohit hit centuries

India’s domination in the first Test at Dominica extended to a second consecutive day as they outmuscled the hosts emphatically to secure a lead of 162 runs with eight wickets in hand at the end of the second day’s play. The second day of play witnessed a twin century from the Indian openers as West Indies’ desperation to try out different avenues of attack in order to get the better of the Indian batting was blunted significantly by the expertise of the batters.

Starting the second day at 80/0 with debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal unbeaten on 40 and Rohit Sharma holding fort at the other end with his score on 30, India got off to a cautious start. Weathering the nasty deliveries comfortably, they would occasionally trade the loose ones to boundaries.

Mixing caution with occasional aggression, young Jaiswal ticked along the score and in the 70th over, the southpaw tucked a length ball behind square leg to bring about his maiden ton, becoming the 17th Indian batsman to score a century on Test debut. 

He would soon be joined by the Indian captain in the club of centuries as Rohit caressed Athanaze’s full-toss through the covers to bring up his second hundred in Tests away from India. Much to the skipper’s woes, he was out the next ball, with the extra bounce going off the glove, onto the pad and the offer accepted gleefully by Joshua da Silva behind the stumps. 

An incoming Shubman Gill at No.3 didn’t stay long enough at the crease to make an impact, edging a ball from Jomel Warrican to the slip cordon to depart for 6. Virat Kohli walked in to a loud cheer and survived an early scare as a delivery from Warrican thumped into the batsman’s pads, only for the umpire to give it not out and the DRS to support his call. 

From thereon though, India seemed firmly back in the driver’s seat, shaking off those mid-innings jitters as Yashavi Jaiswal continued his onslaught while Kohli also looked in complete control. At the end of the day’s play, India finished at 312/2 with Jaiswal staying unbeaten for 143 with Kohli (36*) for company.