Ravindra Jadeja’s fiery spell dismantled the West Indies top order, leaving them tottering at 66 for 5 at lunch on Day 3 of the opening Test against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The all-rounder, fresh off an unbeaten 104 that powered India’s overnight declaration at 448/5 with a 286-run lead, claimed 3 wickets for 30 runs in 11 overs, exploiting a turning track to devastating effect.

With Kuldeep Yadav (1/15) and Mohammed Siraj (1/16) chipping in, India’s spinners appear poised to wrap up the match early in the post-lunch session, eyeing a commanding victory in the five-Test series opener.

India’s strategic declaration late on Day 2, after amassing a formidable lead, aimed to capitalise on early morning pitch assistance, though pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj found limited movement. The West Indies batting, fragile after their 162 all-out in the first innings, crumbled under Jadeja’s spin onslaught.

The breakthrough came in the eighth over when debutant Nitish Reddy’s acrobatic catch at square leg dismissed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul (8) off Siraj. Jadeja then struck twice in quick succession, trapping John Campbell (14) at short leg and inducing an edge from Brandon King (5), caught low by KL Rahul at first slip, exposing the visitors’ technical frailties against spin.

Kuldeep Yadav compounded the misery by outfoxing West Indies captain Roston Chase (1) with a sharp, straightening delivery that knocked back the off-stump. Jadeja’s third scalp, Shai Hope (9), came via a brilliant diving catch by Yashasvi Jaiswal at short third man, leaving the Caribbean side in disarray.

Alick Athanaze (27 not out), with three boundaries via reverse sweeps, and Justin Greaves (10 not out) offered lone resistance, but the visitors face a steep climb to avoid an innings defeat, trailing by 220 runs. The pitch, benign for batting on Day 2 when India’s Virat Kohli (145) and Shubman Gill (112) dominated, has quickened, aiding spinners as cracks widened.

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This collapse mirrors the West Indies’ struggles in recent tours, with only two Test wins in their last 20 away matches since 2020, per ESPNcricinfo data. India, aiming to cement their World Test Championship lead, leveraged Jadeja’s dual impact—his century and wickets echoing his 2019 heroics against South Africa here.

With over 60 overs left in the day and Ravichandran Ashwin yet to bowl, India’s spin arsenal threatens a swift conclusion. Local fans, numbering over 40,000 daily, anticipate a weekend rout, while West Indies’ hopes hinge on Athanaze defying India’s relentless attack in a match already tilted decisively.

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