A day of fading light found its sunshine through the bats of V.V.S. Laxman and M.S. Dhoni. And as the skies darkened early at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday evening, a mirror image of gloom also seeped into the West Indies dressing room.
The visitor mustered 34 for two in the first innings after Laxman and Dhoni's centuries helped India declare at 631 for seven on day two of the second Test.
The Indian noose of spin and a buzzing close-in cordon were in place though it was Umesh Yadav, who scalped Adrian Barath before R. Ashwin prised out Kraigg Brathwaite. Darren Bravo's stinging drive off Ashwin was a rare defiant act before bad light halted play.
Resuming at the overnight 346 for five, India's quest for big runs hinged on Laxman (176 n.o., 280b, 12x4) and the partnerships he could helm through the day.
The initial signs were positive as Yuvraj Singh guided the day's first ball for four off Kemar Roach. But the ill-at-ease southpaw fell on the shuffle against Darren Sammy.
Laxman, seemingly living in another planet devoid of stress, remained unhindered. He directed a Fidel Edwards delivery elegantly towards the mid-wicket fence and an inner-edge off Roach was a rare false note in a knock that saw him sail languidly towards his 17th Test hundred. It was a number that put him on par with Dilip Vengsarkar and joint-sixth on the list of Indian centurions led by Sachin Tendulkar (51).
It was here that Laxman and Dhoni shared an unbeaten 259-run seventh-wicket partnership in a winning cause against South Africa, last year. The two combined well again with Laxman's pleasing style and Dhoni's unconventional shots proving that opposite attributes can build forts instead of crumbling bridges.
A 224-run partnership for the seventh wicket took shape, but the starting blocks were mounted on Dhoni's (144, 175b, 10x4, 5x6) bluster and good fortune. He disdainfully unleashed that slap-shot over the bowler's head for four while counterpart Sammy suffered and then the Indian captain was twice ‘caught behind' (13 & 16) off no-balls from Roach.
At the other end, Laxman reached his much-awaited hundred coming as it did after 15 Tests and 28 innings, a phase in which he struck 10 fifties, some of which like the unbeaten match-winning 73 against Australia last year at Mohali, were truly iconic knocks.
The current Laxman-Dhoni partnership was taking wing when bad light forced an early call for lunch at 10.41 a.m. On resumption, the Indian captain shifted gears, punching Edwards, hoisting Sammy and Marlon Samuels and swatting Devendra Bishoo.
Laxman immediately accepted the second-fiddle role, farming the strike and pausing between overs with his patented tapping of the crease. Laxman scored just 28 runs through fours while adding 103 to the 73 he notched up on Monday.
The stylist's fifth hundred at the venue added another interesting sub-text to the chapter on batsmen and their favourite grounds like Vengsarkar and Lord's or Sachin Tendulkar and Chennai's M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.
Laxman remained steady while Dhoni galloped to his fifth Test hundred, a milestone that came after a gap of 20 months. Dhoni's last ton was also registered here, against South Africa.
India scored 180 in the afternoon session with the runs being inevitable against a tiring attack while interest centred on when the declaration would be effected. The answer came soon after tea with Dhoni striking a six off Roach and then feathering an edge.
A few deliveries later, Laxman and Ashwin walked away, leaving the West Indies staring at a huge first innings score.
Wednesday's play will commence at 8.30 a.m. to make up for the time lost due to poor light.
Scoreboard
India — 1st innings: G. Gambhir c Barath b Edwards 65 (103b, 8x4), V. Sehwag c Barath b Sammy 38 (33b, 8x4), R. Dravid b Brathwaite 119 (207b, 9x4, 2x6), S. Tendulkar c Samuels b Bishoo 38 (71b, 5x4), V.V.S. Laxman (not out) 176 (280b, 12x4), Ishant c Baugh b Roach 0 (1b), Yuvraj lbw b Sammy 25 (35b, 5x4), M.S. Dhoni c Baugh b Roach 144 (175b, 10x4, 5x6), R. Ashwin (not out) 4 (12b); Extras (b-5, lb-6, w-2, nb-9): 22; Total (for seven wkts., decl. in 151.2 overs): 631.
Fall of wickets: 1-66 (Sehwag), 2-149 (Gambhir), 3-205 (Tendulkar), 4-345 (Dravid), 5-346 (Ishant), 6-396 (Yuvraj), 7-620 (Dhoni).
West Indies bowling: Edwards 22.2-1-81-1, Sammy 25-0-132-2, Roach 26-1-106-2, Samuels 27-0-104-0, Bishoo 45-2-154-1, Brathwaite 6-0-43-1.
West Indies — 1st innings: A. Barath c Sehwag b Yadav 1 (4b), K. Brathwaite c Gambhir b Ashwin 17 (31b, 2x4), K. Edwards (batting) 12 (32b, 1x4), D. Bravo (batting) 4 (5b, 1x4); Total (for two wkts., in 12 overs): 34.
Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Barath), 2-30 (Brathwaite).
India bowling: Ojha 6-2-10-0, Yadav 1-0-3-1, Ashwin 5-2-21-1.
