India vs West Indies 1st Test Day 1: Siraj and Rahul Deliver Commanding Performance in Ahmedabad

The narrative heading into this Test series was one of uncertainty. Three legends had retired, a devastating 0-3 home series loss still lingered, and questions swirled about India’s ability to compete without their pillars. By stumps on Day 1 in Ahmedabad, those doubts had been comprehensively addressed. Mohammed Siraj’s incisive bowling and KL Rahul’s composed batting powered India to a dominant position, with West Indies clinging to a mere 41-run lead after being bundled out for 162.

Morning Session: Siraj Sets the Tone

The Narendra Modi Stadium surface offered enough assistance for the seamers, especially with its green tinge and the moisture from pre-match rain. West Indies captain Roston Chase won the toss and chose to bat, hoping his batters could navigate the challenging opening session. That optimism evaporated within 30 minutes.

Early Wickets Tumble

Mohammed Siraj picked up exactly where he left off after his remarkable “Iron Man” performance in England. His strategy was clinical: pitch the ball up, target the top of the stumps, and give batsmen no easy scoring opportunities. The approach yielded immediate dividends.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s return to international cricket after a 20-month break lasted just one delivery, as he nicked one down the leg side to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. The disappointment of a golden duck after such a lengthy absence would have been crushing for the left-hander.

Jasprit Bumrah then produced a masterclass delivery to dismiss John Campbell. The ball swung in 1.5 degrees and seamed away 1.2 degrees—a lethal combination that induced an edge. Interestingly, India needed DRS to confirm the dismissal, showcasing the fine margins at the highest level.

Siraj’s Masterclass Continues

Brandon King’s dismissal exemplified Siraj’s tactical acumen. After bowling a couple of inswingers that King defended cautiously, Siraj produced a straighter delivery on fourth-stump line. King, conditioned by the previous deliveries to expect movement away, shouldered arms. The ball jagged back and clattered into the stumps—a textbook example of setting up a batsman.

The left-handed Alick Athanaze looked briefly settled, navigating a nervous start where he seemed overly eager for bat-on-ball contact. Just as confidence was building, Siraj struck. Switching to round the wicket, he tempted Athanaze with a fuller delivery. Had the length been shorter, the batsman might have been more circumspect. Instead, the pitched-up ball had his “juices flowing,” as he attempted a booming drive only to edge to KL Rahul at second slip.

At 90 for 5 by lunch, West Indies were in dire straits, their experienced batting pair of Roston Chase and Shai Hope left to salvage respectability.

Middle Session: Brief Resistance, Inevitable Collapse

The Chase-Hope partnership offered West Indies their only period of stability—a 70-ball association that temporarily stemmed the bleeding. Yet even during this stand, genuine control eluded the visitors. Both batsmen looked vulnerable, forcing India to produce exceptional deliveries for breakthroughs.

Key Partnership and Its Demise

Kuldeep Yadav, who had watched the entire Asia Cup from the sidelines, made an immediate impact upon his return to Test cricket. His eighth delivery back was a ripper—tossed up beautifully, the ball drifted enticingly, created a gap between Hope’s bat and pad, then dipped and turned to crash into the stumps. It was a reminder of why wrist spinners make stumps look like easy targets, their ability to create angles and trajectories that seem to defy physics.

Roston Chase fell victim to Siraj’s mastery of the wobble-seam delivery. The real genius, however, lay in the steep angle Siraj created bowling into the right-hander. Chase was deceived into closing his bat face prematurely, resulting in a leading edge that looped to Jurel behind the stumps.

The Tail Capitulates

Once the experienced pair departed, West Indies’ resistance crumbled. Debutant Kharry Pierre offered brief support to Justin Greaves before Washington Sundar trapped him lbw. Greaves, who top-scored with 32, showed a huge backlift that curved toward the off side—a technical quirk that Bumrah filed away for future exploitation.

India’s Bowling Figures

Bumrah’s yorkers proved lethal in the final stages. He demolished the tail, bowling two unplayable yorkers that flattened the stumps, taking West Indies from 144/7 to 153/9 in quick succession. The paceman then began targeting the off-stump line, seemingly creating room for Siraj to claim his maiden five-wicket haul at home. Despite Siraj’s best efforts—including one lbw appeal against Greaves that DRS overturned—he had to settle for 4 for 40, his best figures in India.

Kuldeep wrapped up the innings by dismissing Jomel Warrican, with West Indies all out for 162 before the tea break—a comprehensive bowling performance from the hosts.

Bumrah’s Milestone Achievement

Amidst the collective bowling excellence, Jasprit Bumrah reached a remarkable personal milestone. His three wickets took him to 50 Test wickets in India, achieved in record time—a full 521 balls quicker than the previous benchmark set by Mohammed Shami. This statistic underscores Bumrah’s exceptional strike rate and his ability to deliver breakthroughs precisely when his team needs them.

India’s Response: Rahul Anchors the Chase

With comfortable conditions and time to spare, India’s openers had an opportunity to establish dominance. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal approached the task sedately initially, scoring at just two runs per over as they assessed the conditions and saw off the new ball.

A rain interruption briefly halted proceedings, but upon resumption, the tempo shifted dramatically. Jaiswal unleashed seven boundaries in quick succession, his aggressive intent transforming the innings’ complexion. However, searching for an eighth boundary proved his undoing—he edged Jayden Seales to Shai Hope behind the stumps after a valuable 68-run opening partnership.

The Transition Continues

The new India is still finding its identity. Sai Sudharsan, the new man at No. 3, offered a stark reminder of the team’s transitional phase. His dismissal for 7 off 19 balls—rocking back and missing a skidder from Roston Chase—highlighted the vulnerabilities that exist without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, and the injured Rishabh Pant.

Yet KL Rahul demonstrated the maturity and understanding that comes from years of navigating pressure. His unbeaten 53 was a masterclass in matching output with ability—no unnecessary risks, clinical shot selection, and an awareness of the match situation. It feels like Rahul has finally cracked the code of Test cricket consistency, understanding when to attack and when to consolidate.

Shubman Gill provided solid support at the other end, remaining unbeaten on 18 as India reached stumps at 121 for 2, trailing by just 41 runs.

Day 1 Scorecard Summary

India Batting:

• KL Rahul: 53* (not out)
• Yashasvi Jaiswal: 36
• Shubman Gill: 18* (not out)
• Sai Sudharsan: 7

West Indies’ Familiar Struggles

The visitors’ opening-day collapse exposed familiar frailties. Their opening partnership woes continued—they haven’t stitched together 50 runs in 12 innings, a damning statistic that places enormous pressure on the middle order.

The batting lineup, containing nine centuries collectively, showed insufficient application. Two of the top three—Chanderpaul and Campbell—have yet to contribute to that century count. The concerning aspect wasn’t just the dismissals but how they occurred: poor shot selection, technical deficiencies exposed, and an inability to build partnerships.

Alick Athanaze’s dismissal typified West Indies’ struggles. Just as he was finding his rhythm and confidence was building, inexperience betrayed him. The fuller delivery from Siraj proved too tempting, and the attempted drive resulted in an edge—a lesson learned the hard way at Test cricket’s highest level.

India’s Bowling: Basics Done Better

While India’s bowling wasn’t at its most threatening—evidenced by seven boundaries conceded in the first 10 overs—they executed the fundamentals more effectively than their opposition. The line and length were more consistent, the pressure more sustained, and crucially, they created chances regularly.

Siraj’s approach embodied this philosophy. He focused on pitching up rather than dropping short, targeted the stumps rather than bowling too wide, and gave batsmen minimal respite. The rewards reflected this discipline: four wickets and the consistent application of pressure that led to errors.

Bumrah’s early rhythm is encouraging for India. Having spent the Asia Cup partly testing his fitness while bowling his team to victory, his presence in this series suggests he’s physically sound and mentally sharp. The yorker to dismiss Greaves—spotting and exploiting the batsman’s high backlift on just the first attempt—demonstrated his tactical acumen remains as sharp as ever.

What to Expect on Day 2

India enters Day 2 in a commanding position, holding all the aces with eight wickets in hand and requiring just 42 runs to erase the deficit. The focus will be on building a substantial first-innings lead that could effectively put the match beyond West Indies’ reach.

For India: KL Rahul, unbeaten on 53, will aim to convert his half-century into a significant score while Shubman Gill looks to establish himself at the crease. The middle order—featuring the likes of Virat Kohli’s potential successors—will seek valuable batting time to stake their claims in this transitional XI. Expect India to bat deep and accumulate a lead of 150-200 runs if conditions remain favorable.

For West Indies: The challenge is monumental. Their bowlers must strike early on Day 2, ideally removing both overnight batsmen within the first hour to expose India’s relatively inexperienced middle order. Jayden Seales, who dismissed Jaiswal, will be their primary weapon. Without early breakthroughs, they face the daunting prospect of conceding a massive deficit and then batting last on a surface likely to deteriorate, offering more assistance to Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist spin.

The opening day in Ahmedabad emphatically answered questions about India’s post-legend era. Yes, vulnerabilities exist, but the fire burns bright, the bowling remains potent, and players like Rahul are stepping up when needed. West Indies must quickly address their familiar failings or face another comprehensive defeat.

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