New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a majestic 173 not out as India stamped their authority on Day 1 of the second and final Test against the West Indies by reaching 318/2 in 90 overs at stumps here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.

After winning the toss, Jaiswal and KL Rahul put on a steady 58-run stand before the latter was dismissed. The opener was then involved in a huge 193-run partnership with B Sai Sudharsan, who made 87 – his first Test fifty in India.

Jaiswal shifted gears post-lunch to bring up his hundred with flair in a knock where he started watchfully, feasting only on bad balls, and then got runs effortlessly.

The final session saw a slowdown in scoring, but India remained in control. Jaiswal crossed 150 for the fifth time in his young Test career and appears poised for more on Day 2, with skipper Shubman Gill also looking solid on 20 not out.

The third session began with a bang as Jaiswal pressed forward to crunch Roston Chase through cover for four, before Sudharsan leant well into a drive to take another boundary off him. But Sudharsan’s knock ended on 87 after he was trapped lbw by Jomel Warrican, who got the ball to spin back in sharply from over the wicket – where the batter was caught at the crease yet again.

Sudharsan reviewed the decision at the fag end, but replays confirmed the dismissal, as he walked back to the pavilion 13 runs short of what could have been his first Test century. With Gill hitting two glorious slog sweeps off Khary Pierre, Jaiswal continued to be ominous by driving off him and then cutting fiercely off Warrican, picking up two boundaries.

Jaiswal brought up his fifth 150-plus score with a flick off the pads on his 224th ball and raised his bat to acknowledge the applause from teammates and fans. With the West Indies taking the second new ball, Jaiswal and Gill were at their cautious best before getting back to hitting boundaries.

While Gill brought out a sublime drive placed wide of mid-off, Jaiswal gently played a backfoot cut past diving third man and crunched one past backward point to pick consecutive boundaries, before hitting a cracking cover drive to get another four, ensuring India ended the day firmly in a strong position.

Brief Scores: India 318/2 in 90 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 173 not out, B Sai Sudharsan 87; Jomel Warrican 2-60) against West Indies

–IANS

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