Hanuma Vihari, Ajinkya Rahane take India closer to series sweep

The West Indies had been 45 for two at stumps and with their batsmen showing very little application in the series, the hosts are not likely to get somewhere shut to the huge target.
Hanuma Vihari and Ajinkya Rahane took India nearer to a sequence sweep with an unbeaten 111-run stand, helping the traffic set an inconceivable 468-run target for the West Indies on day three of the 2d Test right here on Sunday.
The in-form Rahane (64 now not out) and Vihari (53 not out) obtained India’s 2nd innings returned on track after the top-four were pushed aside for fifty seven runs. The fifth-wicket partnership allowed India to declare at 168 for four, giving their bowlers 13 overs to have a crack on the struggling West Indies batsmen.
The West Indies had been 45 for two at stumps and with their batsmen displaying very little software in the series, the hosts are not going to get anywhere close to the huge target.
Interestingly, India had determined towards imposing the follow-on despite gaining a 299-run lead by means of bowling out the West Indies for 117 an hour into the morning session.
The Virat Kohli-led aspect struggled towards pinnacle fine quickly bowling from the West Indies and laboured to 73 for 4 in 37 overs at tea. However, the momentum used to be lower back with India in the remaining session the place Rahane and Vihari prolonged their appropriate run in the series.
Kemar Roach used to be all over the Indian top-order but the way Vihari played him was once commendable. His 76-ball innings comprised eight fours including a pleasant straight driver off Roach. Rahane too appeared in control in his 109-ball effort that comprised eights fours a six.
Both the batsmen have been capable to rating freely but it used to be now not case in the afternoon session when the batsmen were made to work difficult for each and every run on a checking out pitch. The West Indian pacers, led via Roach, made the ball talk.
After pushing aside opener Mayank Agarwal (5) before lunch, Roach got here out firing on all cylinders and removed K L Rahul (6 off 63) and India captain Virat Kohli (0 off 1) off successive balls to be on a hat-trick.
Both had been identical deliveries, pitching simply outside off-stump before moving barely away to take the edge. While it was once a rare duck for Kohli, Rahul by no means certainly got going earlier than making his way lower back into the dressing room, leaving India at 36 for three.
Cheteswar Pujara (27 off 66) too found it challenging in the middle before West Indies skipper Jason Holder got the better of him with a ball that rose sharply from back of a length, shocking the skilled Indian batsman who edged it to gully.
The dismissal marked the end of Pujara’s tour in which he failed to pass the 30-run mark in four innings, a entire contrast to his collection triumphing effort in Australia eight months ago. It was once also a forgettable tour for Rahul whose easiest rating in 4 innings used to be 44.
The West Indies, resuming the day at a dismal 87 for seven, batted for 14.1 overs earlier than getting all out in the morning session.
Earlier, Roach (17 off 31) once again proved his worth with the bat when the expert batsmen surrendered to a rampaging Jasprit Bumrah (6/26) who should not add to his overnight wicket tally after turning into the 0.33 Indian to take a Test hat-trick.
Jahmar Hamilton (5 off 59) examined the staying power of the Indian bowlers earlier than Ishant Sharma acquired rid of him for his sole wicket of the innings.
The first to be pushed aside on day three was once Rahkeem Cornwall (14 off 31) who should no longer deal with a properly directed bouncer from Mohammad Shami, spooning a simple catch to Rahane.
The West Indies did properly to remaining a little extra than an hour in the morning session after showing no utility with the bat on day two when Bumrah wreaked havoc.