Ashwin seals India’s first innings win in WI

ESPNcricinfo: It took more than four sessions coming, but once R. Ashwin found his rhythm he ran through the West Indian line-up to seal India’s first innings win in the Caribbean, and their biggest one outside Asia.

After lunch on day four, with India needing eight wickets to finish the match, Ashwin found dip and drift. Simultaneously, he cut out on the loose balls to earn a five-for and a hundred in the same Test for a second time, the most by an Indian. West Indies couldn’t offer much resistance and folded in 78 overs, they only bettered that tally by 12.2 in the first innings.

After Umesh Yadav had removed Darren Bravo in the first over of the morning – a repeat feeble push to a wide delivery from the first innings – Mohammed Shami, in his first over of the morning, hit Samuels’ glove and offered a low chance to Wriddhiman Saha’s left. The wicketkeeper claimed immediately.

His bat obscured the front-on replay somewhat, and there was nothing else to go by. The third umpire erred on the side of caution.

In a glimpse of what makes him a frustrating batsman to watch in Tests – a superb stroke maker but an average under 35 – Samuels drove and cut gorgeously to take 23 off the 19 balls after his reprieve. Rain arrived, 40 minutes before lunch, and several players walked straight to a laptop and sat around it, perhaps watching the replays and wondering how Samuels had survived.

Ashwin’s rhythm, however, returned immediately after the break. He had Chandrika believing he was driving at a half-volley, but the dip created distance, and Saha juggled a low catch off the batsman’s pad. Replays weren’t conclusive vis-à-vis the inside edge, but Chandrika didn’t protest at all. Next up was Jermaine Blackwood, for a pair.

R. Ashwin took his first five-for outside Asia – AP

Samuels became the victim of drift. As it is, he likes staying beside the line, but this one from Ashwin drifted away, and then didn’t turn as much as he expected, hitting the top of off stump. The ball kept dipping on the inexperienced batsmen, who were arguably facing this quality of spin bowling for the first time, and debutant Roston Chase soon fell to forward short leg because his intended block didn’t reach the pitch of the ball.

Amit Mishra broke the Ashwin streak with a topspinner that trapped Shane Dowrich, but Ashwin finished his first five-for outside Asia with another beauty. Ashwin had taken five wickets in 51 balls.

A win seemed only a matter of time but India got fancy with bowling changes, and Carlos Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo made them wait 24.1 overs for their ninth wicket. Forced to take the tea break, Ashwin came back to end the match with the wickets of Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel in one over.