cricket

Updated: Sep 01, 2019 09:16 IST

Fast-bowler Ishant Sharma put on a sensational display with the bat to help India post a commanding total against West Indies during the second day of the second Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Saturday. Ishant put together a century stand for the eight wicket with Hanuma Vihari to help the visitors post 416 in their first essay. In the process, the lanky lad from Delhi also registered his maiden Test fifty in his 126th innings. Only James Anderson is now ahead of Ishant in the list of most innings taken by a cricketer to score his first Test half-century.

Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah becomes third Indian to scalp Test hat-trick

After going past the 50-run mark, Ishant came up with a peculiar celebration, where he looked at dressing room and did something with the bat. It must be an inside joke as skipper Virat Kohli too joined in from the dressing room, celebrating wildly. Other members of the team also applauded Ishant’s heroics with the willow.

India took full control of the Test after Jasprit Bumrah scalped a sensational hat-trick to break the backbone of Windies batting line-up. Bumrah (6/16) produced a lethal opening spell and rattled West Indies by picking up the first five wickets, three of which came in successive balls in the ninth over to leave West Indies tottering at 87 for seven at stumps.

Also Read: Hat-trick hero Bumrah, centurion Vihari put India on top at Sabina Park

Bumrah became only the third Indian after Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan to register a hat-trick in Test cricket. Shimron Hetmyer (34) was then cleaned up by Mohammad Shami before Bumrah came back to dismiss West Indies skipper Jason Holder. West Indies still trail India by 329 runs with three full days play remaining.

Not to forget the contribution of Hanuma Vihari, who slammed his maiden Test ton (111 off 225 balls) with the help of 16 boundaries to hold India’s innings together.