India’s batting riches came to the fore on Day Two of the first Test against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, and Ravindra Jadeja registered centuries to put the hosts firmly in command.
Rahul’s patient hundred – only his second on Indian soil – set the tone, Jurel’s maiden Test century (125) brought composure and flair, and Jadeja’s fluent unbeaten 104 – his sixth Test ton – ensured India closed the day at 448/5, leading by 286 runs.
Rahul’s Poise and Perspective
Resuming on 53, Rahul survived an early scare when an edge off Jayden Seales flew between slip and keeper. With the West Indies going defensive with just one slip, the opener capitalised on the chance.
Shubman Gill supported him with a fluent 50 – his first half-century at home as captain – before falling to Roston Chase’s clever reverse-sweep trap.
Rahul grew into his innings, reaching his hundred with a single past mid-wicket before celebrating with a touching tribute to his daughter born earlier this year.
Really enjoying my batting. Playing in different conditions, like England, gave me confidence. Coming into this game with some runs behind me also helped. Feeling fresher after a longish break… really enjoying being back.
Though dismissed for exactly 100 after lunch, Rahul noted how he has evolved: “I needed to make that mental switch to enjoy grinding and getting 100s with singles and twos as well. That’s the difference now compared to before when I wasn’t doing well at home.”
Jurel’s Maiden Ton: A Tribute to His Father
Rahul’s dismissal brought Jurel to the crease, and the wicketkeeper-batter seized the chance presented by Rishabh Pant’s absence. Blending solid defence with crisp strokeplay, he peppered the offside and mid-wicket regions and handled both spin and reverse swing with composure.
Jurel reached his maiden century with a flick through mid-wicket, celebrating with an emotional army-style march in tribute to his father, Nem Chand, a retired Havildar who fought in the 1999 Kargil War. Tears welled in his eyes as the Ahmedabad crowd rose in applause.
Jadeja Holds Fort, Leads India’s Charge
Partnering Jurel in a match-turning 206-run stand, Jadeja was his fluent self. He used his feet to launch four sixes off Jomel Warrican, broke long spells of defence with attacking bursts, and brought up his century – his second in three Tests – by dancing down the track to clear long-on.
Unbeaten on 104 at stumps, Jadeja will resume alongside Washington Sundar on Day Three, with more batting still in the shed.
West Indies Toil Without Penetration
For the visitors, breakthroughs were rare. Roston Chase’s 2/90 offered control, Seales bowled with discipline for 1/53, and Pierre picked up Jurel for his maiden Test wicket. But defensive fields, a delayed second new ball, and lack of sustained pressure allowed India to dictate terms throughout the day.
India in Complete Command
At stumps, India’s lead of 286 runs left the West Indies staring at a daunting challenge. The last time three Indian batters scored centuries in a home Test was in 2018, also against the West Indies, with Jadeja a common factor then as now. With Jadeja well set and more batting to come, India hold all the cards heading into Day Three.
Brief Scores: West Indies 162 trail India 448/5 in 128 overs (KL Rahul 100, Dhruv Jurel 125, Ravindra Jadeja 104*, Shubman Gill 50; Roston Chase 2-90, Jayden Seales 1-53) by 286 runs.
