India vs West Indies 2019, 1st Test: Ajinkya Rahane scores 81 as India recover after shaky start

India, who were reduced to 25/3, ended the Day one of the series opener at 203/6.

Ajinkya Rahane scored 81, anchoring the innings, as India managed to recover from a shaky start to end the first Day of the first Test on 203/6 . @AFP

Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel shared the spoils while Ajinkya Rahane scored 81 to take India to 203/6 before rain stopped play on Day one of the first Test against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, in Antigua on Thursday. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja were batting on 20 and 3 respectively at stumps on Day one of the Test series opener.

India were reduced to 25/3 after Roach and Gabriel ran through the top order. But KL Rahul and Rahane added 67 runs together before the former got out.

AS IT HAPPENED | SCORECARD

While Rahul played some pretty shots and copped a few from the West Indian pacers, he threw it away, falling (44) to an innocuous ball from Roston Chase, drifting down the leg side as the 98-run partnership was broken.

Rahane was then joined by Hanuma Vihari and the two denied West Indies any immediate success. The Indian vice-captain also had his share of luck as he got two reprieves in the 40th over, bowled by Chase. First, Miguel Cummins could not hold on to a running catch and then, Shai Hope failed to hang on a sharp chance down leg.

Rain interruption forced the teams to take an early tea break. Following the interval, Rahane and Vihari upped the scoring rate, before Roach came back into the attack to break the 82-run stand, dismissing Hanuma Vihari for 32. Rahane was the next man to get out as he dragged a Gabriel delivery onto the stumps.

Earlier, electing to bowl after a delayed start due to the wet outfield, West Indies set the ball rolling as Roach tested both Indian openers – Mayank Agarwal and Rahul. While Rahul managed to stay put, Roach’s burst saw Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara back in the dressing room in the same over.

Agarwal perished for five as West Indies opted for a review to overturn the on-field decision. Pujara was the next man to get out as he pushed at an away-going delivery and Hope took his second catch of the match.

However, it was Gabriel, who scalped the big wicket as he dismissed Virat Kohli in the eighth over to give the home team their third breakthrough of the morning. The West Indian pacer set Kohli up, bowling two sharp bouncers.

While the Indian skipper managed to tackle them, he threw his hands at a wide delivery that followed the bouncers and perished as Shamarh Brooks, making his debut, took the catch.