The IND vs WI 2nd Test is going down to the wire, with the hosts, the West Indies, needing 289 runs to level the series at 1-1. With just eight wickets left and Ravichandran Ashwin liking his chops to get a chance to bowl and claim his third five-wicket haul of the series, the win will not come easy for the hosts. Ashwin already has 15 wickets in the series and took the scalps of skipper Kraigg Brathwaite and debutant Kirk McKenzie in the last session of Day 4 to set the Test in India’s favour.
India’s spearhead, Mohammed Siraj, cleaned up four of the last five Windies wickets to restrict the hosts to 255 in the first innings. This was Siraj’s second five-wicket haul, and the pacer is confident that Ravichandran Ashwin will run through the West Indian lineup.
“The way the wicket is behaving, Ashwin, I feel, will run through the West Indies batting… the ball is turning,” said Siraj on at the end of the day’s play after India declared their innings at 181/2.
Also Read: Mohammed Siraj soars high on ‘flat track’, credits coach to keep him fit
Siraj also disclosed that it was India’s strategy to bat aggressively in the second innings and set a big target quickly for the home side.
India batters, especially, Ishan Kishan played T20-style cricket notching up 52 off just 34 balls.
“Yes, Ishan is an aggressive batter. Rishabh Pant is not there, so as a wicketkeeper, he (Ishan) is able to fill in for Pant’s loss to a certain extent, if not completely.
“He has the ability to hit the ball long and hard. He has the ability to hit all around the ground. We had enough runs on the board (first innings lead), so our plan was to score as many (runs in the second innings) in a short period and then (after declaration), we would be able to get more overs to bowl out the West Indies.”
Follow InsideSport on GOOGLE NEWS / Follow IND vs WI Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Editor's Pick
Top Stories
