Team India secured the driver's seat in the ongoing second Test match against the West Indies after skipper Rohit Sharma and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan smacked record half-centuries on Day 4 in Trinidad. Mohammed Siraj's five-wicket haul shot down the hosts for just 255 runs in the first innings, enabling the visitors to pocket a massive lead. India batters came out all guns blazing in the second innings with captain Rohit leading the charge. India declared after scoring 181/2 in 24 overs, setting a daunting target of 365 runs for West Indies. In reply, the hosts scored 76 runs and lost two wickets before the end of the day's play on June 23 (Sunday).
Siraj breathes fire
On a day when Indian spinners were expected to do the bulk of damage against a fragile Windies' batting attack, it was right-arm pacer Siraj who stole the show. The aggressive fast bowler breathed fire on Day 4 which eventually put India in ascendancy. The 29-year-old bowled an impeccable spell with the ball and registered figures of 5/60 in 23.4 overs.
Debutant Mukesh Kumar gave a good account of his potential and finished with two wickets in 18 overs. Ravindra Jadeja bagged two wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with a wicket.
India's no-nonsense approach with the bat
When Indian openers Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal walked to bat in the second innings, their intent couldn't have been more clear. The duo came out to bat with the idea of scoring runs at a rapid clip and it Indian captain who set the precedent. Rohit registered yet another half-century and scored 57 runs off 44 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes. Jaiswal missed out on a half-century but did his job by scoring 38 runs off 30 balls.
Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 29 runs while Kishan's swashbuckling display with the bat took India's score to 181/2 before Rohit decided to declare and put West Indies into bat. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter, who is known for taking attack to the opposition team's bowling attack, registered a thumping half-century and remained unbeaten on 52 runs off 34 balls with the help of four fours and two sixes.
Ashwin breaks through Windies' defence
Chasing a target of 365 runs, Windies openers put on a solid resistance until the last ball of the 18th over when Ashwin provided the much-need breakthrough for India. The veteran spinner dismissed captain Kraigg Brathwaite for 28 runs before scalping the wicket of Kirk McKenzie for a duck.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul (24 not out off 98 balls) and Jermaine Blackwood (20 not out off 39 balls) ensured Windies don't lose any further wickets on Day 4 and batted together for 12 overs before stumps. The hosts are 289 runs away from shocking India in the second Test while Rohit-led India requires eight more wickets to whitewash West Indies.
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