KOLKATA- Vangipurappu Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni completed centuries as India’s batsmen racked up a huge first innings total against West Indies on the second day of the second test at Eden Gardens earlier today.
The tourists then lost two quick wickets before bad light brought a premature end to the day’s play to leave India firmly in the driving seat.
India, opting to bat first after winning the toss, declared their innings at 631 for seven, 3.2 overs after tea, with Laxman (176) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4) at the crease.
Laxman and Dhoni (144) added 224 runs for the seventh wicket to pile on the misery for the visitors, who are down 1-0 in the three-test series.
West Indies’ problems were compounded when openers Adrian Barath and Kraigg Brathwaite were dismissed before bad light brought an abrupt close, 52 minutes before schedule, with the visitors reeling at 34 for two.
Barath (1) edged paceman Umesh Yadav to Virender Sehwag at slip while Brathwaite (17), dropped earlier by substitute Virat Kohli off off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, was given out caught at short leg off the same bowler.
Former West Indies captain Richie Richardson, now the manager of the visiting team, said they needed to take a leaf out of the Indian batsmen’s books to save the test match.
“You have just got to bat the way India batted. It’s a very good batting wicket. It’s a flat wicket and it was always going to be difficult for the bowlers,” Richardson told reporters.
“It’s not going to be easy. The Indian bowlers are going to put pressure on us but I believe we have the ammunition to go out there and bat for the next two days.
“Usually when you see such a big total you tend to think ‘wow! It’s going to be difficult.’ We have to back ourselves. If two guys get stuck in and score centuries then we will able to bat ourselves into a very good position.”
