India Dominate West Indies on Day 1 as Rain Delays Test in Ahmedabad

India tightened their grip on the first Test against the West Indies at Narendra Modi Stadium, reaching 40/0 in 14.2 overs by the third session on Day 1 after dismissing the visitors for a paltry 162. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul weathered early conditions before Jaiswal unleashed a flurry of boundaries post a brief rain delay, resuming at 3:35 p.m. IST. Under Shubman Gill’s captaincy—his second Test series and first at home—India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj’s fiery 4-wicket haul, dismantled a fragile West Indies batting lineup, setting the stage for a commanding position in this World Test Championship (WTC) clash.

The West Indies, opting to bat first on a greenish pitch, crumbled under India’s relentless attack. Siraj (4/40) struck early, removing Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck, followed by Brandon King and Alick Athanaze, leaving the visitors at 42/4. A 48-run stand between Shai Hope (26) and captain Roston Chase (24) offered brief resistance, but Kuldeep Yadav (2/25), marking a Test comeback, dismissed Hope with a turning delivery. Jasprit Bumrah (3/42) cleaned up the middle order, including Justin Greaves (32), and became the joint-fastest Indian pacer to 50 Test wickets on home soil, matching Kapil Dev’s record. No West Indies batter crossed 32, with debutant Johann Layne and others faltering, folding in 44.1 overs.

India’s reply began cautiously under overcast skies, with Jaiswal (22*) and Rahul (14*) surviving probing spells from Jayden Seales and Jomel Warrican. A 30-minute rain break at 23/0 tested their resolve, but Jaiswal shifted gears post-resumption, striking crisp boundaries to accelerate the scoring rate above 2.8 runs per over. With 122 runs still to trail, India’s deep batting lineup, including Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, positions them to build a substantial lead on a pitch likely to favour batters on Day 2.

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West Indies, reeling from a 0-3 home series loss to Australia, face an uphill battle to challenge India’s disciplined attack, especially with their depleted pace unit. Gill’s tactical inclusion of three spinners—Kuldeep, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar—proved astute, and their role may grow as the pitch wears. As Ahmedabad buzzes with Dussehra fervour, India eyes a dominant first-innings lead to press their advantage in a series critical for WTC standings, while the West Indies seeks a rare Test win on Indian soil, last achieved in 1994.

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