(Cricket News) The combination of young talent and seasoned experience proved advantageous for India as Yashasvi Jaiswal, making his debut, and captain Rohit Sharma both registered centuries on Thursday, giving India a strong advantage over the West Indies on the second day of the 1st Test.

Sharma reached his century after facing 221 balls, while Yashasvi Jaiswal achieved his maiden Test century in 215 balls. Sharma’s milestone came from 10 fours and 2 sixes, while Yashasvi Jaiswal hit 11 boundaries. Additionally, their outstanding performance led to this being recorded as the highest opening partnership for India in the West Indies.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, a left-handed batsman, became the 17th Indian Test debutant to score a hundred, following Shreyas Iyer in 2021 against New Zealand in Kanpur.

Prior to that, Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased remarkable composure and commendable temperament by compiling a well-executed half-century, while the Indian openers remained in command, propelling the score to 146 without any loss by the time of the lunch break.

In his quest for success, Captain Sharma tactfully restrained his natural inclination towards aggressive stroke-making, leading him to achieve his 15th half-century in Test cricket. As a result, India finds itself merely four runs away from surpassing the West Indies’ first innings score of 150.

Throughout the day, the Windsor Park pitch noticeably slowed down, causing most deliveries to lose pace and enabling the batsmen to play more comfortably.

During this session, only 66 runs were scored, as the Indian batsmen opted for a cautious approach, eschewing unnecessary risks and adopting a patient style of batting. The lackluster Caribbean bowling attack didn’t pose much of a threat in terms of potency.

Although both spinners, off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall (0/22 in 11 overs) and left-arm orthodox bowler Jomel Warrican (0/34 in 14 overs), maintained tight lines, they failed to deliver many wicket-taking deliveries.

The sluggishness of the track deprived the Indian openers of any significant pace, thereby facilitating their defensive approach.

On Friday, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who began the day on 40, registered his first boundary, which propelled him to a well-deserved half-century. This achievement also served as validation for the team management’s decision to promote him as an opener in his debut Test match.

The boundary came from a pull shot off Alzarri Joseph (0/42 in 8 overs), whose bowling lacked intensity during the first session.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s innings has included seven boundaries so far, with six of them coming in the evening session, while Rohit has hit six fours and two sixes. Despite the presence of the old Dukes ball, there wasn’t much reverse swing on offer, and Rohit’s flick off Joseph for a six over mid-wicket stood out as the highlight shot of the morning.

In addition, he displayed his proficiency on the back-foot by executing a powerful square cut against Jomel Warrican. Furthermore, he capitalized on a full-toss delivery, driving it through the covers. These shots followed a relatively quiet first hour of play.

Considering the ample remaining time in the match, the Indian team is rightfully focused on batting their way to a position of dominance, effectively neutralizing West Indies’ chances. As the pitch deteriorates over time, batting in the third innings will become considerably challenging, further emphasizing the importance of batting the opposition out of the game.

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