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The fast-medium bowler exemplified the discipline of India’s bowlers, after West Indies continued from their bedtime total of 34 for one, in response to the Indians’ first innings total of 246 on the second day at Sabina Park.
Kumar, bowling a metronomic full length around the line of off-stump, and gaining movement both ways flattened the West Indies middle-order.
He had Adrian Barath caught behind for the West Indies top score so far of 64, playing defensively forward to a well-pitched delivery that moved away.
The diminutive opener slammed nine fours and one six from 122 balls in just over 2¾ hours, and put on 56 for the third wicket with compatriot Darren Bravo.
In his next over, Kumar had left-hander Bravo also caught behind for 18, playing defensively forward, before Brendan Nash was caught at third slip for one to leave West Indies wobbling on 102 for five.
Ishant Sharma had given the visitors an early breakthrough, when he trapped veteran Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw for three, playing forward, but offering no stroke to a delivery moving back in the second over of the day.
But the Indians were put on the back-foot, when Bravo joined Barath, and they mixed sound defence with aggression.
A sweep off Harbhajan Singh, bowling off-spin, brought Barath his fourth boundary to deep fine leg, releasing some of the early pressure, and a cut off Sharma through backward point for the little opener’s fifth four kept the momentum going.
A drive over the top of extra cover off Harbhajan brought Bravo his first boundary, and this was followed by a majestic extra cover drive off Sharma for his second.
Fortune deserted Sharma however, when two deliveries later, Bravo, on nine, edged a loose drive, and Raina failed to hold a low, difficult chance diving to his right at third slip.
Harbhajan continued to feel the burden of the punishment from the two batsmen, when Barath sashayed down the pitch and drove him authoritatively through extra cover for another four, before whipping Kumar through mid-wicket for a boundary.
Barath reached his 50 from 116 balls, when he lofted leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s first delivery to the long-on boundary for his eighth boundary, and celebrated with a six over the same position next ball - but Kumar interrupted the flow of runs.
Scoreboard at lunch on the first day of the first Test between West Indies and India
India
1st Innings
A. Mukund b Rampaul 11
M. Vijay c Bishoo b Rampaul 8
R. Dravid c *Sammy b Bishoo 40
V. Laxman c *Sammy b Bishoo 12
V. Kohli c wkpr Baugh b Edwards 4
S. Raina c Bishoo b Rampaul 82
M. Dhoni c Simmons b Bishoo 0
Harbhajan Singh c Bishoo b Edwards 70
P. Kumar lbw b Edwards 4
A. Mishra c Sarwan b Edwards 6
I. Sharma not out 0
Extras (b1, lb2, nb6) 9
Total (all out) 246
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Vijay), 2-30 (Mukund), 3-64 (Laxman), 4-69 (Kohli), 5-83 (Dravid), 6-85 (Dhoni), 7-231 (Harbhajan Singh), 8-236 (Kumar), 9-246 (Mishra)
Bowling: Edwards 16-1-56-4 (nb4); Rampaul 18.2-2-59-3 (nb2); *Sammy 13-3-42-0; Bishoo 11-2-75-3; Simmons 2-0-8-0; Nash 1-0-3-0
Overs: 61.2
West Indies
1st Innings (overnight 34 for one)
A. Barath c Dhoni b Kumar 64
L. Simmons c Vijay b Sharma 3
R. Sarwan lbw b Sharma 3
D. Bravo c Dhoni b Kumar 18
S. Chanderpaul c Mukund b Harbhajan Singh 23
B. Nash c Raina b Kumar 1
C. Baugh c Vijay b Harbhajan Singh 27
D. Sammy b Sharma 1
R. Rampaul not out 14
F. Edwards c Dhoni b Mishra 7
D. Bishoo c Raina b Mishra 4
Extras: (b1, lb3, nb4) 8
Total: (all out) 173
Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Simmons), 2-35 (Sarwan), 3-91 (Barath), 4-95 (Bravo), 5-102 (Nash), 6-147 (Baugh), 7-148 (Sammy), 8-152 (Chanderpaul), 9-169 (Edwards)
Bowling: Kumar 18-5-38-3; Sharma 17-6-29-3; Mishra 13.5-1-51-2 (nb4); Harbhajan Singh 19-5-51-2
Overs: 67.5
Position: West Indies trail by 73 runs after first innings
Toss: India
Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG), Daryl Harper (AUS)
TV Umpire: Norman Malcolm (WIS)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
Reserve umpire: Gregory Brathwaite (WIS)
Wethio Project is committed to building a sustainable future for Africa and beyond
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