Rohit and Jaiswal’s fifties take India to 121/0 at lunch

India’s captain Rohit Sharma plays a shot against West Indies on day one of their second cricket Test match at Queen’s Park in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on July 20, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal maintained their sublime form in the Caribbean to take their team to 121 for no loss at lunch on day one of the second Test against West Indies here on Thursday.

Young Jaiswal (52 batting off 56) and skipper Rohit (63 batting off 102), who both scored hundreds in India’s dominant win in the opening Test, looked set for another epic partnership. The visitors scored at a run rate of 4.65 in 26 overs.

Jaiswal was dropped at first slip by Alick Athanaze off Jason Holder on the penultimate ball of the session.

The game also marks the 100th Test between the two teams and captains of both India and West Indies were handed a special memento by legend Brian Lara to commemorate the occasion before the start of the game.

The turning pitch in Dominica suited India really well and a more lively track was expected at Queen’s Park Oval but the curator decided not to leave any grass on the surface.

The West Indies pacers could not create enough chances after their captain Kraigg Brathwaite put the opposition in to bat with an intent to make use of the early morning moisture in the pitch.

The ball was doing a bit but both Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph struggled to consistently bowl in the fourth stump channel.

They chose to use the short ball against the Indian openers but the move backfired. Rohit first unleashed his trademark pull off Roach for the first six of the game before Jaiswal pulled Joseph away for another maximum.

Jaiswal provided a half chance in the sixth over but it was put down at gully.

Rohit got the bulk of the strike in the first hour and he made full use of it.

The India skipper played a gorgeous cover drive off Shannon Gabriel before the pacer bowled one short and the seasoned batter was happy to pull it away for another boundary. India were placed comfortably at 57 for no loss after the first hour of play.

Rohit brought his half-century with a six off Roach in the 19th over. It was a pull shot again from the captain that went all the way.

Jaiswal at the other end was quick to slash anything wide and picked up the pace towards the end of the session. He brought his fifty with an on the up drive off Joseph.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican bowled five overs in the session but did not get much assistance from the pitch.

India won the first Test by an innings and 141 runs. Jaiswal made 171 on debut.