Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has said that his side will be looking to continue the fightback in the remainder of the third Test after recovering from a precarious 130 for five and finishing the first innings at 353.
The West Indies finished day two at 107 for one.
“When we got together we were in quite a bit of trouble and it was one of those wickets where you are not in any time. There was a good chance that you might be nicked off or you might get a good ball any time. It was very difficult to score,” Ashwin said after the day’s play.
The centurion added, “So we went thought, bit the bullet quite hard and wanted to just stick in there even if the runs weren’t quite coming. Obviously, the results came later on. It was a good partnership and both enjoyed each other’s company to be very honest.”
“The thing is that they did get some momentum, I believe, from the Jamaica Test, but that’s how Test cricket is like. We didn’t come over here thinking or expecting to roll them over. They’re also a Test team, and in their home conditions, it’s going to be hard and we expected it.”
Ashwin added 213 runs for the sixth wicket with Wriddhiman Saha as they performed a patient rescue job for the Indian team. It was a fourth Test hundred for Ashwin, while Saha scored his maiden century.
“In hindsight, later on this could very well be a series-defining knock because we were in some trouble yesterday and there was every chance that we could be skittled out. I thought it needed a bit of application. It was not like making a hundred back home or anywhere in the world.
“I’m sure about that because it was definitely not a wicket where you could just plonk your front foot and play through the line. It was a hard-fought day yesterday and it was no different today. We just hope we can capitalise on the rear guard action later tomorrow,” he said.
“Saha expressed himself this morning, and he played quite a few shots. To me, it was very important that I hung around, because that sort of solidity was very important. We knew we were about 50—60 runs away from any kind of respectability so my game plan was very simple.
“As I walked in yesterday, I walked in today. I wanted to leave the balls and I wanted to play close to the body. Try and bat time, it was not about knocking off the hundred or going and playing shots, it was all about batting time and trying and stringing partnerships,” he added, about his mega partnership.
Afterwards the West Indies responded with patience as opener Kraigg Brathwaite got to his half-century. But the hosts were still 246 runs behind with three days to go in the Test even as the pitch seemed to have eased out a bit.
“There is definite help in the wicket. You have got to be patient, I guess. Long partnerships came in, one breakthrough and somebody gets into a spell. That’s what we’re looking at.
“If and when a couple of wickets fall, we can squeeze and jam them in. I thought we bowled pretty well, and pulled things back towards the end of the day today.
“If we can extract the same amount of control then tomorrow, you never know if it could be the first or second session, but I’m definitely sure that we will get the rewards for what we showed today,” Ashwin signed off.
We will take each day at a time, says Cummins
West Indies’ pacer Miguel Cummins has said that his side is not getting ahead of their current position in the third Test against India, and will take each day as it comes.
The hosts finished say two at 107 for one after bowling out the visitors for 353 in their first innings.
“We have got to take each day one at a time, and to build on our position,” said Cummins after the day’s play.
“I can’t give you any guarantee but hopefully we’ll stick to our plans and come out victorious.”
India recovered from a precarious 130/5 thanks to centuries from R Aswhin and Wriddhiman Saha, who put on 213 runs for the sixth wicket.
“We did a very good job of getting their top order. They are a very talented batting line-up but we stuck to our plans.
But we can’t take anything away from Ashwin and Saha, as they batted very well. We had to keep fighting when they had the partnership,” he said.
“The plan was not to bowl short but mix it up. Ashwin normally sits on the back foot, and a lot of guys sit on the back foot. So our plan was to get some balls up and let them drive and then use the short pitch stuff,” he added.
Cummins went wicket-less in his maiden Test in Jamaica, and bowled 281 deliveries before picking up his first wicket in international cricket, that of Ravindra Jadeja. Thereafter he picked three quick wickets in a 10-ball burst to finish off India’s innings and hand his side the advantage once again.
“For me, the debut Test was very tough. Because, I was playing for the first time so nerves took in. I was fighting a long way, fighting hard, hard, hard. Then I came yesterday and saw the guys take wickets but didn’t let that fluster me. I tried looking for wickets but my job was to build pressure,” he said.
“We’ve our two fast bowlers and me being the third. They had their bursts and then it was time for me to hit my line and be consistent and to keep the pressure up for those who came to bowl next, even the spinners so they can take wickets,” Cummins concluded.
