Can Jadeja, Kuldeep, and Siraj Propel India to an Innings Victory?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ravindra Jadeja continues his excellent form with bat and ball.
- Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj play key roles in securing early wickets.
- The West Indies trail by 220 runs, facing a tough challenge.
- India declared their first innings at 448/5.
- Younger players like Alick Athanaze are showing promise for the West Indies.
Ahmedabad, Oct 4 (NationPress) Ravindra Jadeja is on a remarkable streak in the longest format of the game, achieving figures of 3-30. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj each claimed a wicket as India accelerated toward an innings victory against the West Indies in the first Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.
As lunch approached on day three, the West Indies found themselves in trouble at 66/5 after 27 overs, trailing by 220 runs and facing an imminent innings defeat. Jadeja, who scored an unbeaten 104, has a chance to secure a five-wicket haul, following India's declaration of their first innings at 448/5 in 128 overs.
Opting not to give Nitish Kumar Reddy a chance with the bat, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj set an aggressive tone with an effective opening spell. Siraj notably beat Tagenarine Chanderpaul's edge with a fierce delivery before dismissing him with a short ball.
The wicket was aided by Nitish's impressive fielding at square leg, where he made a spectacular diving catch—a moment that could easily go viral on social media, showcasing India's exceptional catching skills.
Jadeja then moved to remove John Campbell with a delivery that drifted and caught the outside edge on its way to forward short leg. He followed this with a clever delivery that trapped Brandon King, who had previously driven him for four runs but fell victim to a mistimed shot to slip.
Kuldeep contributed to the wickets by dismissing Roston Chase with a legbreak that failed to turn, crashing into the off-stump. Jadeja secured his third wicket of the session when Shai Hope was undone by extra bounce, with Yashasvi Jaiswal taking a sharp catch at backward point.
Amid this collapse, young Alick Athanaze showcased his talent against spin with impressive footwork and shot selection. His reverse sweeps and cover drives left him unbeaten on 27, while Justin Greaves showed some resistance, remaining not out on 10. It will be fascinating to see how long the West Indies can withstand the relentless pace of the Indian bowling attack.
Brief Scores: West Indies 162 and 66/5 in 27 overs (Alick Athanaze 27 not out, John Campbell 14; Ravindra Jadeja 3-30, Kuldeep Yadav 1-15) trail India 448/5 declared in 128 overs (Dhruv Jurel 125, Ravindra Jadeja 104 not out; Roston Chase 2-90, Jayden Seales 1-53) by 220 runs.