(Cricket news) On the first day of the first Test between India and the West Indies in Dominica, Yashasvi and Rohit looked good with the bat. Off-spinner R Ashwin was at his fascinating best. After holding the hosts to a meager 150 runs, the visitors reached 80 without losing, and they are now behind by just 70 runs. When he removed Alzarri Joseph, Ashwin reached his 700th international wicket and finished with numbers of 5/60 in 24.3 overs, whereas Yashasvi and Rohit looked good with the bat.

On the field, the guests displayed excellent discipline and never let the hosts relax. Alick Athanaze, a rookie, was their leading batsman and scored 47 runs before being caught by Shardul Thakur off Ashwin. Ishant Sharma, an Indian fast bowler, made his debut as a JioCinema expert and provided insight into Day 2’s events. 

Ishant said: “Rohit Sharma (30 not out) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (40 not out) will seek to be conservative in their approach in the opening hour. They will tell themselves that since we already have a solid basis, it’s okay even if we don’t score any runs. Since there is still a lot of time left in the game, they will attempt to score the final 70 runs by taking their time. 

Ishant remarked of Yashasvi, who is taking part in his first Test, “Yashasvi now has a platform to build on. He should make an effort to get to fifty first, then gradually increase his innings. He has a fantastic chance to go for a century. 

The wicket has been advantageous to spinners, as was evident on Wednesday. “The wicket will get worse as the day goes on. India would therefore aim for a lead of 300 runs from their current position in order to avoid having to bat in the second innings, according to Ishant. 

Ishant thinks that if the West Indies remain focused, they can still battle back. “The opening session will be key for the West Indies. They should strive to stay in the game by limiting the run rate even if they are unable to get wickets in the opening hour. India currently has 80 runs without loss, but the home team will understand that if they only concede around 20 runs in the first hour, they may potentially be in a fantastic position to pick off wickets later on. They can then rely on the pitch to support their spinners from there.

Also read: The first Indian bowler to dismiss a father and son in a Test match: Ravichandran Ashwin