Kohli falls cheaply against WI

NORTH SOUND, Antigua and Barbuda: Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel struck early blows for the West Indies to have India labouring at 68 for three at lunch on the opening day of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Thursday.

Roach dismissed Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara in the same over while Gabriel accounted for the prized wicket of captain Virat Kohli to reduce the tourists to 25 for three after they were put in to bat by West Indies skipper Jason Holder.

However opening batsman K.L. Rahul found a resilient partner in Ajinkya Rahane with the pair adding 43 runs together by the interval. Rahul will resume on 37 and Rahane on ten in the afternoon session. On a surface freshened by early morning rain and offering encouragement to the new ball bowlers, Roach induced edges from both Agarwal and Pujara for catches by wicketkeeper Shai Hope.

An ankle injury to regular gloveman Shane Dowrich resulted in his omission and left Hope, the first-choice wicketkeeper in limited-over matches, with the responsibilities behind the stumps for this match.

While Gabriel lacked Roach’s persistent accuracy, his extra pace continued to challenge India’s top order and brought him the reward of Kohli’s wicket when India’s champion batsman attempted to guide a lifting delivery through backward-point only for debutant Shamarh Brooks to take a tumbling catch at gully.Brief scores: India 68/3 (KL Rahul 37*; Kemar Roach 2-12, Shannon Gabriel 1-26) vs West Indies.