NEW DELHI: India’s top order and middle order came together in a flawless display of Test batting on Friday, leaving the West Indies struggling to survive at the end of the second day of the opening Test in Ahmedabad. KL Rahul set the tone with his 11th Test hundred, ending a near nine-year drought for centuries at home, before Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja followed with attacking and stylish tons. By stumps, India were 448 for 5, leading by a massive 286 runs and in a commanding position to wrap up the match as early as day three.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rahul (100 off 197 balls), Jurel (125 off 210 balls), and Jadeja (104* off 176 balls) brought three distinct styles to the crease. Rahul’s measured yet elegant approach, Jurel’s confident strokeplay, and Jadeja’s belligerent aggression combined to put India firmly in control. Each had memorable celebrations: Rahul kissed his helmet in tribute to his infant daughter, Jurel performed a gun-salute for the Indian Army, and Jadeja’s now-familiar sword celebration thrilled the sparse crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
KL Rahul ends home century droughtStarting the day at 121 for 2 alongside Shubman Gill, Rahul added 98 runs with the Indian captain for the third wicket before Gill fell for 50 attempting a reverse sweep off Roston Chase. Rahul, who had last scored a home century in December 2016 against England, brought up his 11th Test hundred with precise timing and control. He survived a lucky early edge off Jayden Seales, but eventually fell post-lunch driving to extra cover where Justin Greaves took a sharp catch. Rahul’s innings laid the foundation for India’s imposing total and set the stage for the middle-order assault.Jurel and Jadeja take controlFollowing Rahul’s dismissal, Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja accelerated the scoring. Jurel reached his maiden Test century in just his sixth match, bringing up 125 with 15 fours and three sixes before falling to debutant Khary Pierre. Jadeja, meanwhile, blazed his way to 104, hitting six fours and five sixes and surpassing MS Dhoni for the most sixes by an Indian batter in Tests. The duo added a 206-run partnership for the fifth wicket, narrowly missing the record of 214 set by VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar against West Indies in 2002.Both batters attacked relentlessly, punishing loose deliveries and taking advantage of rough patches created by the bowlers’ footmarks. Jadeja frequently came down the track to spinners and consistently cleared the boundary, while Jurel played calculated strokes, mixing caution with aggression to keep the scoreboard ticking. The pair frustrated the West Indies bowlers, who lacked energy in the field and could not sustain pressure on a crumbling surface.India in complete controlBy the close, India had extended their dominance, amassing 448 for 5 in 128 overs. The West Indies spinners were extracting turn and bounce from the pitch, but the hosts’ partnership-building and counter-attacking approach ensured the visitors faced a daunting task. With India comfortably ahead, a win on the third day seems well within reach, further consolidating their position in the World Test Championship points table.
