1st Test: Siraj, Bumrah, and Rahul ensure India seize control over West Indies

Ahmedabad, October 2 (IANS) Standout performances from Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and K.L. Rahul ensured India seized control on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Thursday.

On a green pitch, incisive spells from Siraj (4-40) and Bumrah (3-42) meant India bowled out West Indies for a modest 162 in 44.1 overs. While Siraj wreaked havoc at the start, Bumrah took one initially and then came to wrap up the tail at the fag end.

In reply, Rahul’s unbeaten 53 off 114 balls - his 20th Test half-century - guided India to 121/2 in 38 overs at stumps and narrowed the deficit to just 41 runs with eight wickets in hand. In his usual calm and composed avatar, Rahul anchored the innings with precision and trademark elegance.

Amongst the six boundaries he hit, his late drives and cuts were timed to perfection, showcasing his control and clarity in strokeplay. Partnering with Shubman Gill, who looked assured at the crease after a prolific England tour and remained 18 not out, Rahul ensured India ended the day in a position of strength and gave a signal that they are ready to dominate the 2025/26 home season.

In the morning, the West Indies were rocked early by Siraj, who got swing, seam, and bounce to reduce the visitors to 42/4. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, returning to Test cricket after 21 months, departed for a duck in the opening over after tickling one down leg to Jurel off Siraj.

John Campbell followed soon after, adjudged caught behind on review off Bumrah. Brandon King hit three quick boundaries before a moment of misjudgment - shouldering arms to a ball that crashed into middle stump off Siraj - left West Indies. Alick Athanaze showed brief resistance but fell after driving on the up and edging to second slip to give Siraj his third wicket.

At 42/4, the West Indies were in deep trouble, thanks to Siraj and Bumrah keeping stumps in play all the time. Shai Hope and Roston Chase led the resurrection of the West Indies’ innings with a 48-run stand, showing intent against spin and capitalising on loose deliveries. Hope, in particular, looked assured, showcasing his back-foot play and measured drives.

But just as West Indies seemed to have weathered the storm, Kuldeep Yadav - playing his first Test in over a year - produced a peach of a delivery which he got to drift, dip in, and turn sharply to breach Hope’s defence on an attempted drive and rattle his stumps on the stroke of lunch.

The post-lunch session began with Siraj creating a steep angle into Chase from wide of the crease and extracted a leading edge that was neatly pouched by Jurel. Siraj nearly had a fifth wicket when he trapped Justin Greaves lbw, but the review showed the ball missing leg stump.

While the rest of the fielders showed visible disappointment, Bumrah was quick to console his fellow pacer. Siraj’s rhythm remained intact as his lengths consistently troubled the batters. Washington then struck by trapping Khary Pierre lbw, before Bumrah returned to castle Greaves and Johann Layne with his trademark inswinging yorkers.

Kuldeep closed out the innings when Jomel Warrican went for a reverse-sweep, but a sharp piece of glove work from Jurel ensured the catch was taken, as India walked off with a commanding position and ended a poor West Indies innings, where the batting unit, barring Greaves, didn’t show the application and resilience needed for playing Test cricket.

Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were at their cautious best to take India to 23/0 in 12.4 overs, before a brief rain break interrupted the match. After that break, Jaiswal flicked a switch by finding the gaps with ease through his cuts and drives, while the sweep made an appearance, too. His partnership with Rahul crossed the fifty-run mark too, the fifth in 22 innings that the opening pair put on a half-century stand.

But in a bid to get another boundary off a cut, Jaiswal edged behind to Shai Hope off Jayden Seales for 36 on a ball which wasn’t short enough to play that shot. B Sai Sudharsan, playing a Test in India for the first time, endured a nervy stay before being trapped lbw while trying to pull a ball too full from Roston Chase for seven.

India appears committed to backing Sudharsan through this series, but scrutiny may intensify if low scores from him persist. Rahul, meanwhile, remained the anchor but briefly required physio’s attention after clutching his right hamstring while executing a sharp cut shot off Chase.

Though discomfort lingered, Rahul resumed batting and brought up his fifty with an easy single. With the pitch drying out and looking good for batting, and with eight wickets in hand, India will aim to build a substantial first-innings lead on Friday via Rahul and Gill.

Brief scores:

West Indies 162 all out in 44.1 overs (Justin Greaves 32, Shai Hope 26; Mohammed Siraj 4-40, Jasprit Bumrah 3-42) lead India 121/2 in 38 overs (KL Rahul 53 not out, Yashasvi Jaiswal 36; Roston Chase 1-16, Jayden Seales 1-21) by 41 runs