NEW DELHI: The West Indies showed rare resistance on day three of the second Test against India at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, finishing on 173-2 in their second innings after following on. The visitors still trail by 97 runs but managed to hold firm through a gritty partnership between John Campbell and Shai Hope.
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India’s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav starred earlier in the day, claiming a brilliant five-wicket haul to bowl out the West Indies for 248 in their first innings, giving the hosts a commanding 270-run lead. Skipper Shubman Gill immediately enforced the follow-on, looking to wrap up the series 2-0 after India’s innings win in the opening Test.
The follow-on initially seemed to crush the West Indies, as they lost two early wickets before tea. Tagenarine Chanderpaul fell for 10, caught brilliantly by Gill off Mohammed Siraj, while Alick Athanaze was bowled by Washington Sundar for seven just before the interval.
However, after tea, Campbell and Hope launched a spirited fightback. The pair played with determination and maturity, weathering India’s spin attack to post the highest partnership for any wicket by the West Indies in Tests this year. Campbell, who led from the front, reached 87 not out, becoming the first West Indian batsman in the series to score a half-century. His innings was a blend of patience and power, featuring crisp drives and confident sweeps.
Hope, equally composed, supported Campbell superbly. He reached his fifty off Ravindra Jadeja and remained unbeaten on 66 by stumps, his calm demeanor helping the visitors regain some pride after a difficult start. Together, the two have added 138 runs for the third wicket, showing that the Caribbean side still has fight left in them.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate defended the decision to enforce the follow-on, saying it was a valuable test for the bowlers. “Getting probably 130 overs in already is a good test in the legs. We’re going to face tougher Tests ahead where you’ll have to field for longer periods,” he said.
West Indies spinner Khary Pierre, reflecting on the team’s improved performance, said: “This is the first time we have been able to win a session in the two Tests. It’s all about application. The wicket will deteriorate more, so the more runs we pile on, the better the challenge for the Indian batsmen.”
Earlier in the day, the West Indies resumed at 140-4 and quickly fell apart under Kuldeep’s mastery. The spinner dismissed Shai Hope for 36, then trapped Tevin Imlach lbw for 21 and Justin Greaves for 17 in quick succession. Siraj joined in, bowling Jomel Warrican for one to leave the visitors reeling at 175-8.
A brief lower-order resistance came from Khary Pierre (23) and Anderson Phillip (24 not out), who added 46 runs before Bumrah and Kuldeep wrapped up the innings soon after lunch. Kuldeep finished with figures of 5 for 56 — his fifth five-wicket haul in just 15 Tests — underlining his growing reputation as India’s most effective spinner in subcontinental conditions.
India, who posted a commanding 518-5 declared in their first innings, remain firmly in control of the match and the series. Yet, the West Indies’ late defiance ensured that the day ended on a competitive note.
With two days left, India still hold the upper hand, but the resilience of Campbell and Hope has kept the contest alive — at least for now.
