Shaw, Rahane and Pant score half centuries to put India in control after Umesh registers career best performance
Rishabh Pant's audacious stroke-play complemented Ajinkya Rahane's patient approach as India reached 308 for four against West Indies on the second day of the second Test on Saturday.
India are now only three runs short of West Indies' first innings total of 311. The Caribbeans could add only 16 runs in the morning session after Umesh Yadav polished off the tail with career-best figures of 6/88 in 26.4 overs.
While young Pant celebrated his ODI call-up with a second Test half-century, an attractive unbeaten 85 off 120 balls, vice-captain Rahane slogged hard to remain undefeated on 75 off 174 balls.
Together, the duo added 146 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket after India lost in-form skipper Virat Kohli (45) to be reduced to 163 for 4.
This was after young Prithvi Shaw lit up the morning, smashing his way to 70 off 53 balls to provide an initial momentum.
It was a day where India's Gen-Next enthralled the 18,000 odd crowd with spectacular strokeplay.
Shaw's cover and off-drive were treat for the eyes. The way he slashed Shannon Gabriel for a six over third man or stood on toes to smash Jason Holder through point was eerily similar to Virender Sehwag's style of play. The 11 fours and a six were out of the top drawer.
For Pant, it was more about brute power. He hit back-to-back sixes off left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican (1/76), who had till his arrival had decent figures including the wicket of Shaw.
Pant's approach also gave Rahane time to build his innings even though he never looked in control. However going to Australia, India needed its vice-captain to get some runs and to his credit he hung around to do the needful.
Rahane, on Indian sub-continent, has had problem facing spinners during last home season and here Pant was taking the spinners on most of the time while Rahane was seen more comfortable facing Gabriel for a lengthy period of time. The vice -captain hit six fours in his knock.
The Indians were also helped by poor fielding from the West Indians. It also didn't help their cause that their main keeper Shane Dowrich got a nasty hit on the knee and reserve keeper Jahmar Hamilton wasn't up to the mark.
Skipper Virat Kohli (45, 78 balls) missed out on an opportunity to add another ton to his growing list of international hundreds as he looked in no trouble whatsoever during his stay at the crease.
He hit the cover drive well and ran the singles as a time when India were in a spot of bother at 102 for 3 after Shaw and Cheteshwar Pujara (10) were out in quick succession.
Earlier, West Indies added only 16 runs to their overnight total but Roston Chase (106, 189 balls) however deservedly completed his fourth Test hundred before the innings wrapped up.