Indian bowlers put up a disappointing show as rookie batsman Roston Chase conjured up a heroic maiden Test century leading a remarkable West Indies fightback with the hosts enforcing a draw against India on the final day of the second Test, here on Wednesday.
Starting the day at a precarious 48/4, with 256 runs needed to avoid innings defeat, West Indies ended with 388/6 with Chase, coming up with a resolute 137 off 269 balls and in the process raised three match-saving partnerships with his teammates.
It turned out to be a poor day for Indian bowlers who conceded 340 runs and could only get two wickets in the entire day’s play. With the pitch not offering much on the day, the spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra weren’t as effective.
The 24-year-old Chase batted through the day and became only the fourth West Indies player to score a hundred and claim a five-wicket haul in same match. He had returned figures of five for 121 in India’s first innings.
Chase joined three illustrious West Indies names — Sir Garfiled Sobers, Collie Smith and Dennis Atkinson — on the list of Caribbean players, who achieved the feat in the past.
West Indies began the day at a pitiable 48/4 but lost only two wickets in the entire fifth day, scuppering India’s ambitions to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
Chase joined overnight batsman Jermaine Blackwood (63) at the start of play in the morning and raised a 93-run stand for the fifth wicket to deny India much success.
As sun shone bright and sunny, the wicket eased out a lot and hardly offered any assistance to the Indian bowlers. Chase then weaved a 144-run partnership with next-man in Shane Dowrich (74), who became a victim of umpire Ian Gould’s misjudgement on an lBW appeal by R Ashwin.
After Dowrich’s dismissal, skipper Jason Holder joined his junior colleague and provided him tremendous support by hitting a fighting unbeaten 64, putting together a 103-run stand for the unconquered seventh wicket.
Chase’s knock had 15 shots to the fence and one over the ropes while holder struck eight fours and six.
Only 29 overs remained in the last session of the match to be bowled as India looked to make use of the new ball. But they were never happy with the proceedings, complaining often to the umpires about the shape of the ball, even though the ball wasn’t changed.