All-rounder Washington Sundar said it was heartening for India’s bowlers to work hard for their rewards on a slow pitch in Delhi during the second Test against the West Indies, even though they appeared tired and spent on Day 4. India bowled 200.4 overs at the visitors after enforcing a much-debated follow-on in the series finale.
After being bundled out for 248 in their first innings, trailing by 270 runs, the West Indies responded with a spirited batting effort in their second innings, scoring 390 and keeping India on the field for nearly a full day in challenging conditions.
. The visitors, led by centuries from Shai Hope and John Campbell, briefly threatened to set India a tricky target but lost seven wickets for just 40 runs in the second session before Jayden Seales and all-rounder Justin Greaves added 79 runs for the final wicket. The West Indies’ lower-order fightback prevented complete collapse, though they managed to set India only a 121-run target on a surface offering little assistance to bowlers.
India wiped off 63 of those runs and will resume on Day 5 needing only 58 more with nine wickets in hand.
“On this kind of pitch, you need to be patient and keep hitting the right areas consistently. But it’s very heartening to be bowling long spells. Taking 20 wickets on such a wicket, all the bowlers really did well – even the fast bowlers bowled beautifully,” Washington said, adding that the pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium remained slow throughout the match.
“It’s quite different from other venues. This is a typical Delhi wicket – not much bounce, and not a lot of turn either,” he added.
Questions have been raised over India’s decision to declare their first innings at 518 for 5 before tea on Day 2, and with a 270-run lead after bowling 81.5 overs in the first innings.
The West Indies’ rare display of grit with the bat caused a few jitters in the Indian camp, particularly when they reached 271 for 3 following centuries from Hope and Campbell. The visitors could have pushed on for an even bigger total, but India’s bowlers persisted and triggered a collapse.
Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah led the charge, taking seven wickets across the second and third sessions. Despite the stubborn last-wicket stand, India ensured they would not face a more challenging chase on a pitch that had begun to misbehave on Day 4.
Sundar admitted that the team would have preferred to finish the match on Monday itself. India had 18 overs left when they began their chase, and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made his attacking intent clear with two boundaries before he was caught at long-on off Jomel Warrican as early as the second over.
WASHI CRACKS A JOKE
Not many had expected the Test to stretch into Day 5 after the West Indies folded inside two-and-a-half days in the first Test in Ahmedabad. However, Sundar said the experience from the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England earlier this year, where India played multiple full-length Tests, proved valuable in Delhi.
KL Rahul and No. 3 Sai Sudharsan then batted with greater restraint, ensuring they offered no openings to the West Indies bowlers.
“It’s very important not to chase the result – the key is to focus on bowling good deliveries consistently. We wanted to give our 100 percent. In this format, you have to be patient, whether batting or bowling. You’ve got to be ready to stay in the middle for long periods.
“The England series definitely helped us understand what it feels like to be on the field for five days. Even there, we fielded for about 180-200 overs in every game. This isn’t something new to us. I’m sure many of you would have liked the match to finish today – Jaiswal did his best. On another day, he would have done it,” Sundar said.
The Indian all-rounder also praised Campbell and Hope for their resistance, acknowledging the quality of their partnership.
“Campbell and Hope played really well. They took their chances, and once the field spread, they were very sensible. Our focus was to be patient and bowl good deliveries, no matter what. That was what we could control. The result wasn’t in our control on such a wicket. Bowling those good deliveries consistently and keeping the intensity up, spell after spell, was what we needed to do – and we did that really well,” he said.
Having dodged a late scare, India will look to complete the formalities without any hiccups on Tuesday morning in Delhi.