Innings defeat for West Indies as India close out in less than three days

On the back of a declaration by Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja 104* overnight swapped bat for ball, but continued to torment the West Indies. The visitors, despite some resistance from the tail, could only muster 146 runs. Jadeja with 4-54, and Mohammed Siraj's 3-31 meant that the Windies survived less than 90 overs in this match. India won the match by an innings and 140 runs, their third biggest margin of victory against the floundering Caribbean team. Jadeja collected his eleventh player of the match award in tests, just three behind the Indian record of 14, held by Sachin Tendulkar.

India’s emphatic finish on the third day of the first Test against West Indies showcased the gulf in class at Ahmedabad. Ravindra Jadeja’s mastery with the ball defined the session. Bowling from the rough early on, he prised out wickets with relentless accuracy, dismissing John Campbell (14), Brandon King (5) and Shai Hope (1) to slice into any hopes for token resistance from the top order. Alick Athanaze (38 off 74) offered a semblance of hope, but despite showing some promising skills in dealing with the turn, he played against one for Washington Sundar to pouch the looping cherry stretching to his right.

Jadeja’s spell not only decimated the West Indies’ lineup but also underscored his value as an allrounder. At 36, he is definitely counting the years, but continues to remain a potent force with bat and ball. Mohammed Siraj’s aggression and pace complemented Jadeja perfectly. Siraj's burst with the new ball induced Chanderpaul into a pull shot, only for an athletic Nitish Kumar Reddy to execute a full-length dive to his left and pouch a stunning catch. Siraj's seven-wicket match haul marked a personal milestone in India and continued to underline his growth as the leader of pace alongside Jasprit Bumrah.

Athanaze and Justin Greaves (25) kept them from marooning completely after lunch, but when they departed in the space of seven balls, it was all but over for the West Indies. From the monumental heights of their 1983 demolition of India, West Indies continue to plumb the depths of despair. In their last five tests against India, they have endured four losses by an innings, with the ten wicket loss at Hyderabad in 2018, the exception.

The day belonged to Jadeja though, who emulated Ravichandran Ashwin and Garfield Sobers with his allround effort. He has now done the four wickets and a hundred double on four occasions, the same as Sobers and Ashwin. Ian Botham is at the top of that chart with five. In five days time, Jadeja will have an opportunity to catch up with the Englishman when India plays the second test at New Delhi.

Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill - BCCI Images