Day 5 of the second Test between the West Indies and India did not go as planned for the visitors, as rain played spoilsport throughout the day. Team India required eight wickets to win the game on Day 5, whereas the West Indies aimed to chase down a target of 365 runs in the second innings.
However, none of the sides were able to do that, as the match was eventually drawn after there was no play on Day 5 due to the rain. Across the four days of play, however, there was a plethora of performances that caught the public's eye. Virat Kohli’s sensational 121-run knock in the first innings and Mohammed Siraj’s fifer to limit the Windies were performances that stunned the world and contributed to the game being an absolute classic.
Here are the Talking Points from the second West Indies vs India clash-
Virat Kohli’s class:
Ace batter Virat Kohli looked to be in sensational touch throughout the game. As India batted first on a comparatively flat wicket, the side looked to post a big total on the board in the first innings, and Kohli helped them do just that. Scoring 121 runs in 206 deliveries, Kohli’s knock was crucial for India in posting 438 runs on the board.
Mohammed Siraj’s spell:
Despite the surface being a flat wicket, Mohammed Siraj impressed with his spell in the first innings. Taking five wickets, Siraj helped India limit the West Indies to a subpar total in the first innings and helped the visitors maintain their lead into the second innings.
Rain-marred Day 5:
A result for the second Test looked inevitable. With the hosts requiring 289 runs to win the game and India looking to get eight wickets, Day 5 was all set to be a cracker. However, as rain played spoilsport throughout the day, no play was featured, and the match was drawn.
West Indies’ skipper Kraigg Brathwaite said:
We showed some fight with the bat in this game. That was a good fight. Bowling wise, we could still be more disciplined. Generally, it was a good comeback by the batters in this game. We lost five wickets for just 20 runs yesterday. The key here is obviously to be consistent. We were positive [about the chase today] on a pitch that was still relatively good. We didn't get the chance. Alick came in and looked for the part from the get-go. He looked like he belonged from the first Test. They have good pitches in Australia, but we'll continue to work on our game. Kirk also looked good in the first innings. I think these two guys have promise, and I believe they are the future. I have a lot of faith in these two. It will be good to have some camps [ahead of the Australia tour]. Getting some practice in those camps, using Kookaburra balls... preparation will be very important. I think we have the time to do it.
India skipper Rohit Sharma said:
Every win is different. Playing in the West Indies or India has its own challenges. I am very happy with how things went here. Unfortunately, we didn't get any play today. We actually went out with a positive intent yesterday, wanting to get a result. We were quite confident. We know how difficult it is to bat last. We always wanted that kind of score where the teams went for it. The opposition, sitting in the change room, should think we have a chance. The pitch didn't have much The odd ball was turning from the rough patch, but there wasn't much as such. Siraj, over the years, has taken a giant step in his career, [given] how he has led the attack in the absence of Bumrah and Shami, but you don't want to depend on one or two individuals. We have really good Test cricket, and I hope we can continue to do that. [Performance of all players] It's a great asset to have. We wanted quick runs, and we promoted Ishan up the order. He put his hand up and got quick runs for us. Virat played superbly, so you need a mixture of everything. We have depth and variety, which is quite important. We are in the right place; it's just about going and doing the right thing. I always believe in getting better as a team, no matter what the results are. Except for the WTC final, we played good cricket throughout that phase. To improve in all three departments is what we want to focus on. We want to take all catches... You play in different conditions all the time.
Player of the Match Mohammed Siraj said:
This is my first Man of the Match award in Tests, so it's a memory. There was no help for fast bowlers on this wicket. I had simple plans and executed them. When there's no help for fast bowlers and yet you get wickets, it gives you confidence. Rohit Bhai just asked me to keep doing what I have been doing.
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