The West Indies mounted a spirited fightback on day three of the second Test in Delhi, reaching 173 for 2 in their second innings without losing a wicket after tea. However, they still trail India by 97 runs after being asked to follow on.
Earlier in the day, India’s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed 5 for 57 as the hosts bowled out the West Indies for 248 in their first innings, securing a lead of 270 runs. Captain Shubman Gill enforced the follow-on, and India struck twice before tea, but were then held at bay by a defiant unbeaten stand between John Campbell and Shai Hope.
Campbell was 87 not out and Hope on 66 at the close, the pair putting together an unbroken 138-run partnership, the West Indies’ highest for any wicket in Tests this year.
Campbell, the first West Indian to reach a half-century in the series, brought up his fifty with a boundary off Kuldeep. He survived two close lbw appeals against off-spinner Washington Sundar early in his innings and went on to play with growing confidence.
Hope, who was dismissed for 36 in the first innings, made amends by reaching his fifty against Ravindra Jadeja and acknowledged the applause from the dressing room.
West Indies had lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul early in their second innings for 10, caught by Gill off Mohammed Siraj, while Alick Athanaze was bowled by Sundar for seven on the stroke of tea.
The day had begun with the visitors on 140 for 4 in their first innings, replying to India’s imposing 518 for 5 declared. Kuldeep struck early, bowling Hope for 36 before removing Tevin Imlach lbw for 21 and Justin Greaves in similar fashion for 17. Siraj then bowled Jomel Warrican for one, reducing the West Indies to 175 for 8.
A defiant stand of 46 between Khary Pierre and Anderson Phillip held up India before Jasprit Bumrah bowled Pierre for 23 shortly after lunch. Phillip and Jayden Seales added a further 27 before Kuldeep ended the innings by trapping Seales lbw for 13, securing his fifth five-wicket haul in just his 15th Test.
Seales, meanwhile, was fined 25 percent of his match fee by the ICC for showing unnecessary aggression during day one.
India lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 140 runs.
