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Watch: R Ashwin's ‘unplayable’ stunner ends Kraigg Brathwaite's vigilance on Day 3 of India vs West Indies 2nd Test
Ravichandran Ashwin ended Kraigg Brathwaite's resistance on Day 3 of the second Test with a delivery spun right through the West Indies captain's defence.
The West Indies took up an attritional approach on Day 3 of the second Test and managed to bat through it, ending with five wickets in hand. Their effort was led by captain Kraigg Brathwaite for much of the day, whose defence seemed impregnable as he accumulated 235 balls and scored 75 runs. However, when he did finally fall, it is with his stumps rattled and not a freak run out as he succumbed to a stunner of a delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin.
Ashwin managed to get the ball to drift away from the right hander late for the fourth ball of the 73rd over. It drew Brathwaite to a forward defence, hit a rough patch and spun sharply in. The ball went between the batter's bat and body and hit the middle stump.
West Indies have prioritised avoiding a defeat and continued with their approach even after Brathwaite's dismissal. Brathwaite started on Friday and not until after lunch on Saturday did he reach his fifty off 170 balls, the second slowest of his career. West Indies' determination to take its time, block or leave, netted only 143 runs in 67 overs, 33 of which were maidens. Two hours were lost to rain delays and play ended 20 minutes early because of bad light.
After scoring at barely two runs per over, West Indies doggedly reached stumps on 229-4 in reply to India's 438. West Indies need only 10 more runs to make India bat again.
Slim pickings for India on Day 3
Apart from Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood and Joshua Da Silva were the only other two batters who fell on Day 3. After lunch, Mukesh Kumar was pulled over fine leg for a six by Brathwaite, then the captain was out for 75 after facing 235 deliveries.Blackwood, on 20 from 92 balls, was out straight after tea, deflecting Jadeja to Ajinkya Rahane, who made a one-handed catch in the cordon. Da Silva was bowled on 10 trying to drive Mohammed Siraj, right before another rain delay of nearly an hour. India finally took the new ball in the 103rd over, but Athanaze and Jason Holder remained untroubled to stumps. Athanaze was on 37 from 111 balls and Holder on 11.
