Jadeja stars as India crush West Indies in first Test / Photo: R. Satish BABU - AFP
Jadeja stars as India crush West Indies in first Test
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja starred with both bat and ball as India hammered West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days of the first Test on Saturday.
India declared on their overnight 448-5 with a lead of 286 and then bundled the West Indies out for 146 in the second session at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
Left-handed Jadeja stood out with 4-54 from his spin bowling after he hit an unbeaten 104 for his sixth Test century.
Alick Athanaze, a left-handed number three who made 38, and Justin Greaves offered some resistance in a partnership of 46 but the rest of the West Indies batting fell apart.
Washington Sundar broke the stand to get Athanaze caught and bowled before pace bowler Mohammed Siraj struck with two quick blows.
Jadeja got one more and fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav wrapped up the match as the West Indies innings folded in 45.1 overs.
Siraj kept up his form for India with figures of 4-40 in the first innings after West Indies opted to bat first. He then extended his tally of wickets this year to 30 after playing a key role in India's 2-2 draw in England.
India have not lost a Test to West Indies at home since 1994. The West Indies last won a Test series in India in 1983.
Siraj struck early to get Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught out for eight at square leg, with Nitish Kumar Reddy taking a good diving catch to his left.
Jadeja had the other opener John Campbell out for 14 as West Indies once again struggled with the bat after their meagre first innings total of 162.
Wickets kept tumbling as Kuldeep bowled skipper Roston Chase for one and Jadeja sent back wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope, also for one. West Indies slipped to 46-5 in the morning session.
KL Rahul led India's batting dominance with his 100 before Dhruv Jurel, who made 125, and Jadeja put on a marathon fifth-wicket stand of 206 on Friday.
Jadeja took on the West Indies spinners, hitting left-arm orthodox Jomel Warrican for five sixes.
Chase claimed two wickets and debutant left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed his first in a Test after wicketkeeper-batsman Jurel registered his maiden Test century.
West Indies have struggled in the absence of premier fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, both ruled out with injury.
India are strong favourites to win 2-0 against an opposition that is a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.
The second Test begins on October 10 in New Delhi.
O.R.Jung--BVZ
