The second Test between India and West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium turned out to be a real ‘Test’ of patience for the hosts and the fans alike. On a Tuesday afternoon, under the hot Delhi sun, the match finally came to an end as KL Rahul hit the winning runs.
India, the far superior side in the series, faced a gritty fightback from the Windies as multiple partnerships flourished. Later, the Indian batters took their sweet time to chase the 121-run target. On the morning of Day 5, Sai Sudarshan and KL Rahul took the crease with 58 runs to win. While many thought it would be a cakewalk for the Indian duo, skipper Roston Chase struck to remove Sudarshan for 39 (76) runs.
Next, the Indian captain walked in as Rahul stood steady at the other end, but Gill’s stint too came to an early end as he tried to be the aggressor. After hitting a six, in an attempt to hit a similar shot, Gill 13 (15) handed a catch to mid-wicket off Chase’s delivery. The ever-conservative Rahul continued to be the pillar at the crease as he completed his half-century and went back not out after hitting a 58-run knock.
For More Exciting Articles: Follow RevSportz
To look back on the Test, one that was played on a surface that didn’t offer much to the bowlers and one where the Windies went out with their heads held high—there were multiple highlights. The high point of the series was Kuldeep Yadav to begin with. After being on the sidelines for five Test matches in England, the left-arm wrist spinner picked up 12 wickets in the two Test matches. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doescathe also mentioned in a press conference that he has been a highlight for the management, “To not play for five matches and then give a performance like this is commendable,” he said
The other highlight was the evergreen Ravindra Jadeja. To quote the assistant coach again, “Every time we think it’s time to look past Jadeja, he comes in and performs like this.”
The all rounder picked up 8 wickets in the series and scored an unbeaten 104*(176) century in the 1st Test. The third highlight of the series is the up-and-coming Dhruv Jurel; in the absence of an injured Rishabh Pant, Jurel has impressed the management and the fans alike, with scores of 125(210), 44(79) and 6(6) in the three innings that he batted in.
Also Read: Heroics from Campbell, Hope and the last-wicket pair, alongside a few questions for India to answer