West Indies' assistant coach Kenny Benjamin expressed satisfaction with how the opening day unfolded for the hosts in the second Test against India and hopes to get back into the game on Friday and strike early with the new ball.
While the morning session was somewhat underwhelming after West Indies opted to bowl, the team staged an impressive fightback, taking four wickets and restricting India to 288/4 by the end of Thursday's play.
"We were a little bit disappointed that we didn't pick up a wicket or two till lunch but then we did well to get four wickets," Benjamin said after the end of day's play on Thursday.
"Hopefully, tomorrow (Friday) we will have a chance to start with the new ball if we do, we hope to get a couple of breakthroughs and get ourselves back into the game," he added.
Rohit Sharma's elegant 80 and Yashasvi Jaiswal's composed 57 provided India with an ideal start, as they combined for a formidable 139-run partnership.
However, the momentum shifted in the afternoon when West Indies dismissed the two openers, Shubman Gill (10) and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (8), causing a temporary lull in run-scoring.
Fortunately, India's captain Virat Kohli (87 not out) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (36 not out) stepped up to the occasion. Their unbeaten partnership of 106 runs put India back on track, setting the stage for a strong finish.
1/10:2nd Test, Day 1: Virat Kohli puts India on top against West Indies
AFP
2/10:Kohli and Jadeja
<p>Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja combined in an unbroken century partnership for India to regain the ascendancy over West Indies at 288/4 at stumps on the opening day of the second and final Test. </p>AP
3/10:Strong start
<p>After being put in to bat at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, India started strongly before faltering in the afternoon session. </p>AP
4/10:500th international match
<p>After tea, Kohli played with the exaggerated caution of a man keen to leave a significant mark on his 500th international match. </p>AFP
5/10:India in command
<p>Kohli's unbeaten 87 (161 balls, eight fours) with the support of Jadeja (36 not out) put India back in command. </p>AFP
6/10:Century stand
<p>Kohli and Jadeja's 106-run stand frustrated the Windies in a long final session with captain Kraigg Brathwaite resorting to loopy off-breaks. </p>AFP
7/10:Indian openers
<p>It was a different tempo at the start, with skipper Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal picking up where they left off in the first Test. </p>AFP
8/10:Yashasvi Jaiswal
<p>The Indian openers blazed 121 by lunch and added another 18 in the afternoon before Jason Holder dismissed Jaiswal (57) caught by Kirk McKenzie. </p>AP
9/10:Shubman Gill
<p>That was the trigger for a mini-slide as Shubman Gill went caught behind to Kemar Roach for 10, his second consecutive failure at No. 3. </p>AP
10/10:Rohit Sharma
<p>Rohit Sharma followed, bowled for 80 by a perfectly pitched delivery from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican. </p>AFP"Kudos to Virat and Jadeja. They played very well, they are experienced. Virat is a very special player and the two took that session away from us, but overall it was a satisfying day."
Kohli, playing his 500th Test, is 13 runs shy of his first hundred in an overseas Test since December 2018.
"If he is threatening (to score a century), then he will have to work for it, we will not hand it to him," Benjamin said.
During the second session, West Indies bowled with a well-defined plan and a clear purpose.
Benjamim, who is a former West Indies pacer, is optimistic that the bowlers can spearhead a comeback for the home side.
"We have our plans for each batter, we hope our bowlers can stick to those plans, be patient. With Kohli and Jadeja, they will not make it easy for us so we have to work really hard, so we hope bowlers can execute," Benjamin said.
(With agency inputs)
