Opener lokesh Rahul showed a lot of composure as he struck his third Test hundred with India sedately reaching 209 for 2 at end of 72 overs on the second day of the second cricket Test against the West Indies, here on Sunday.
For Rahul, it was a case of making full use of the opportunity as it is his third Test ton in overseas conditions. He is batting on 121 of 229 balls with 12 boundaries and two sixes.
He has added 121 runs for the second wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara (46 out, 159 balls), whose subdued batting has been the reason that India could manage only 59 runs in the session in the 26 overs bowled in the morning.
India trail by a mere 11 runs after bowling out the hosts for just 196 in their first innings.
Starting at the overnight score of 126/1, the two batsmen looked to play for time, as there was still something in the pitch for the bowlers. However they didn't have any help from the weather, as it was bright and sunny when play began, rendering this a good day to bat.
Even so, the West Indies' pacers didn't make things easy for the Indian batsmen. Shannon Gabriel (0-21) bowled an extended spell, as did Miguel Cummins (0-44) and the two bowled a nagging line to trouble the duo at the crease.
Gabriel, in particular, tested both Rahul and Pujara, thrice inducing edges as they fell short of the waiting cordon. On three other occasions, he beat the batsmen with his pace and bounce.
Cummins too beat the batsmen with his line and length, getting a couple to rise awkwardly, but the edges didn't come or didn't carry to the fielders as the batsmen looked to play with soft hands.
It obviously affected the run-rate, as only 22 runs came in the first hour of play, with Pujara taking 35 deliveries to get off his overnight score of 18*.
Finally, in the second hour of play, things started moving along as Roston Chase (1-52) and Devendra Bishoo (0-19) were deployed. The 150-mark came up in the 52nd over and the duo brought up their 50-partnership off 141 deliveries.
Soon enough, after being patient through the morning, Rahul hit out in the 56th over and deposited Chase for a six over long-on, and brought up his hundred off 182 balls. His previous two hundreds were scored in 2015, coming against Australia (Sydney) and Sri lanka (Colombo).
In doing so, he notched up the highest score for an Indian opener playing his very first innings in the West Indies, beating Ajay Jadeja's 97 (1996), Shikhar Dhawan's 84 (2016) and Sunil Gavaskar's 65 (1971).
At the other end, Pujara struck two boundaries to break the shackles and finally got his strike-rate going, as India went into the lunch break in consummate control of this match.
Earlier, on first day, Ravichandran Ashwin continued to bamboozle the West Indies batsmen with another five-wicket haul as India took firm control on the first day of the second cricket Test.
Ashwin grabbed 5 for 52 in 16 overs en route his 18th five-wicket haul in longer format as West Indies were all-out for 196 in 52.3 overs.
The off-spinner took centrestage after initial breakthroughs from Ishant Sharma (2/53 in 10 overs) and Mohammed Shami (2/23) as rival skipper Jason Holder had decided to make first use of a lively pitch.
The visitors then further consolidated their position by reaching 126 for 1 as they are now only 70 runs short of the West Indies first innings score.
Opener Rahul (75 batting) coming in place of an injured Murli Vijay made full use of the opportunity as he not only looked compact but also scored runs at a fair clip.
Rahul's innings had 10 boundaries in 114 balls as he added 87 runs for the first wicket with a subdued Shikhar Dhawan (27, 52 balls, 5x4). Giving company was Cheteshwar Pujara batting on (18 batting).
Earlier, in the West Indies innings it was Jermaine Blackwood, who showed some counter-attacking instincts with a run-a-ball 62 that had seven fours and four sixes. Along with Marlon Samuels (37, 88 balls), Blackwood added 81 runs for the fourth wicket after the Caribbeans were reeling at 7 for 3 with Ishant and Shami polishing off the top-order.
However, Ashwin held sway in the second session where West Indies lost six wickets for 108 runs to get all-out for a score of less than 200 runs.
Ashwin now has 188 victims in 34 matches. He also has the distinction of four five-wicket hauls in successive matches. He is only the third Indian spinner to do so after Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Anil Kumble.
Earlier, Blackwood scored an attacking half-century and put on 81 runs with Samuels for the 5th wicket as the two local boys rescued their team from a precarious position of 7 for 3. This was after West Indies won the toss on a damp pitch and elected to bat.