Run machine Shubman Gill maintained his stunning form of 2025 with another century as India took complete control of the second Test against the West Indies on Saturday.
Despite suffering an early blow when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was run out after adding just two runs to his overnight 173, India produced an impressive batting performance on Day 2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
It meant Jaiswal had missed out on what would have been his third Test double ton after a mix up with Gill. “Run outs are part of the game, it's fine,” he said. “I was thinking of batting for an hour and it'd be easier to score later.
“If I am there, I feel I should take the game forward. There is always a thought in my head about my goal and the team’s goal, and how I can achieve the two.”
Captain Gill then took over, cracking his fifth Test hundred of the year – from eight matches – as he finished unbeaten on 125, ably supported by quick-fire knocks from Nitish Kumar Reddy (43 off 54 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (44 off 79).
Gill, who started the day on 20, took on the West Indies attack with his classy stroke play, hitting 16 fours and two sixes in his 10th Test century. He scored three runs off left-arm spinner Khary Pierre to reach a hundred and raised his bat to the delight of a boisterous weekend crowd.
He shared partnerships of 91 runs with Nitish and 102 with wicketkeeper-batsman Jurel which helped turn up the heat on the West Indies.
“He's been scoring a lot of runs since getting the captaincy,” Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja said of Gill, who hit 754 runs in the five-test series in England when he debuted as India's Test captain this year. “I think that's a good sign for Indian cricket.
“It helps the team when the captain leads by example. He and Jaiswal are part of a new generation, which believes in taking responsibility, which is a good sign.”
India – who won the opening Test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 140 runs – were able to declare on 518-5. “Even after the run out, the team is in a good position,” added vice-captain Jadeja, referring to Jaiswal's dismissal.
“Misunderstandings happen and it's part of the game … We still posted a big total on the board, and we'll try to bowl them out as quickly as possible tomorrow.”
The visitors at least showed better application than in the opening Test – which saw them bowled out for 162 and 146 – as they reached 140-4 at stumps with Shai Hope unbeaten on 31 and Tevin Imlach on 14. They trail by 378 runs as they look to avoid defeat in the two-match series.
India spinner Jadeja did the damage as he ripped through the Windies' top order, finishing with figures of 3-37 off his 14 overs.
West Indies opener John Campbell (10) played a full-blooded sweep shot to a Jadeja delivery and the ball hit the grill of Sai Sudharsan's helmet as the fielder was trying to evade it before somehow lodging in the fielder's arms.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34) and Alick Athanaze (41) forged a 66-run partnership before Jadeja struck again. He dismissed Chanderpaul and captain Roston Chase – for a duck – as well as taking a catch to end Athanaze's promising knock off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav.
“We know it's very challenging, but I know we have the capable batters who can do it,” said Windies spinner Jomel Warrican, who finished with figures of 3-98.
“The wicket is turning a lot more compared to day on. So we just have to apply ourselves and back our ability.”
