Campbell leads West Indies Hope to avoid innings defeat v India
Cricket - Fifth Test - India v England - Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala, India - March 7, 2024 India's Kuldeep Yadav celebrates his five-wicket-haul after taking the lbw wicket of England's Ben Stokes REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
NEW DELHI :India remained on course for a 2-0 series sweep after enforcing the follow-on but West Indies produced a much improved batting display in their second innings to reach 173-2 on day three of the second and final test on Sunday.
Beaten inside three days in the series opener in Ahmedabad, West Indies folded for 248 in the first innings conceding a huge lead of 270 at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The tourists rediscovered their stomach for fight in their second innings with opener John Campbell, batting on 87, proving neither the pitch nor the Indian attack was unplayable.
Shai Hope was batting on 66 at stumps with the tourists, still 97 behind, hoping to avoid a second successive innings defeat.
"I think the two batsmen have laid the platform for us," West Indies spinner Khary Pierre told reporters.
"This is test match cricket. The wicket is going to deteriorate more so the more runs we could pile on, it could be a challenge for the Indian batsmen."
India have been in the ascendancy since amassing 518-5 before declaring their first innings on Saturday.
When play began on day three, Kuldeep Yadav (5-82) hollowed out the West Indies batting in their first innings after they resumed on 140-4.
The onus was on Hope (36) to lead the tourists' fightback but after 30 minutes of lull, Kuldeep sparked a collapse.
Hope lost his off-stump while Tevin Imlach and Justin Greaves fell lbw to the left-arm wrist-spinner.
Seamer Mohammed Siraj cleaned up Jomel Warrican but Pierre (23) and Anderson Phillip (24 not out) refused to throw in the towel.
Jasprit Bumrah bowled Pierre and West Indies soon collapsed conceding a sizeable first innings lead. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja claimed 3-46.
India did not have to wait long for a breakthrough after asking West Indies to follow on.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul (10) tried to pull Siraj and India captain Shubman Gill darted from short midwicket and dived to take a smart catch.
Off-spinner Washington Sundar bowled Athanaze for seven with the final delivery before the tea break to keep India on top.
Campbell and Hope combined in an unbroken 138-run partnership batting confidently against the Indian spinners.
Campbell survived three reviews before smashing the first fifty by a touring batter in this match before Hope also reached the milestone.
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate backed enforcing the follow-on but said the pitch did not turn as much as they had expected.
"We thought the wicket's going to keep deteriorating but it just seems to slow down even more," the former Dutch player said.
"We have found it tricky this afternoon and Shai Hope and John Campbell batted beautifully."
