Lunch India 72 for 2 (Agarwal 41*, Kohli 5*, Holder 1-7, Cornwall 1-20) v West Indies

Debutant Rahkeem Cornwall held on to a catch, took his maiden Test wicket and then gave Virat Kohli some nervous moments in the first session of the second Test, as India made 72 runs for the loss of two wickets. Mayank Agarwal displayed the temperament needed to make amends after falling cheaply in Antigua, stroking 41 runs. At the lunch break, he had Kohli for company, unbeaten on 5, after he saw KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara fall for low scores.

On a pitch that had an even tinge of green, covered with live grass, captain Jason Holder opted to bowl, looking to make early inroads into the Indian middle order like they had in Antigua. But the openers began briskly, Rahul in particular, as he struck a drive square in the first over off Kemar Roach. When Shannon Gabriel bowled full, however, Agarwal nearly lost his wicket. Looking to drive, he edged one through the slips but looked surer two balls later while driving through the covers for four.

Sensing that a change was needed to stop India’s run rate of 5.33 after six overs, Holder introduced himself and struck with his fifth ball. Getting a length ball to straighten and forcing Rahul to rock back, Holder’s delivery found the shoulder of the bat and went straight into Cornwall’s hands at first slip to dismiss the opener for 13.

Cornwall was handed the ball soon after with Pujara still searching for his first run, and he found purchase off the deck straightaway. Pujara was often coming down the pitch to negate Cornwall’s flight and turn, but when the offspinner pitched one shorter and quicker, the extra bounce forced the batsman on the back foot and he ended up chipping a catch to point, for 6. Soon, Cornwall had a big lbw appeal against Kohli and when West Indies used their review, ball-tracking showed the ball was missing leg stump.

Kohli reined in his shot-making after walking in to join Agarwal at 46 for 2, happy to bunt both good and bad balls without much risk. In the third over before lunch against Roston Chase, his bat’s face closed too early and nearly gave a leading edge to point. After that, Kohli went into his tested method of wearing the bowlers down, defending and leaving balls right until lunch.

Apart from Cornwall, Holder had announced a second debutant, wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton, in for the injured Shai Hope. India went with an unchanged XI.