Shubman Gill’s Century and Jadeja’s Strikes Put India in Command Against West Indies
New Delhi: Shubman Gill led from the front with a sublime unbeaten 129 — his 10th Test century — before skipper Gill’s tactical declaration allowed Ravindra Jadeja to tighten the screws on West Indies, steering India towards another emphatic win in the second Test on Saturday.
Gill reached his century comfortably after lunch but showed remarkable restraint by declaring India’s innings at 518 for five, just an hour into the session, foregoing what looked like an easy double hundred against a modest bowling attack. The harmony between “Gill the batter” and “Gill the captain” was evident, as he chose team goals over personal milestones.
Despite a surface showing little deterioration, Jadeja (3/37) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/45) spun a web around the Caribbean batters, reducing the visitors to 140 for four in 43 overs. Watching from the stands, legends Viv Richards and Brian Lara had little to cheer as West Indies faltered yet again.
Opener John Campbell’s dismissal was unfortunate — his powerful sweep ricocheted off Sai Sudharsan’s knuckle into his hands in a moment of reflex. However, a brief resistance from Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34) and Alick Athanaze (41), who added 66 runs together, was soon broken. Chanderpaul edged one to KL Rahul in the slips while Athanaze’s mistimed hoick was caught by Jadeja at mid-wicket. Soon after, skipper Roston Chase fell for a duck, handing a simple return catch to Jadeja — triggering a familiar collapse.
Earlier, Gill anchored India’s innings with precision, adding 91 runs for the fourth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (43) and another 102 with Dhruv Jurel (44), who played freely after lunch. India added 200 runs in 44.2 overs on Day 2, building on their overnight total of 318 for two.
Gill brought up his century with a crisp cut shot off Khary Pierre — his fifth hundred in the last seven Tests, underlining his consistency as both leader and run-machine. Even after Yashasvi Jaiswal (175 off 258) was run out early in the day following a misjudged call, Gill’s focus never wavered. He dictated the tempo — lofting over the infield when the field was up and rotating strike smartly when gaps opened.
His strokeplay was elegant yet commanding. The highlight came when he flicked Jayden Seales through mid-wicket to bring up his second fifty of the series, followed by a lofted six over mid-wicket off Justin Greaves. Against Anderson Phillip, Gill unfurled a series of exquisite cuts and drives, showcasing total control.
Though partly responsible for Jaiswal’s dismissal, Gill more than redeemed himself by the end of the day — his calm captaincy and fluent batting leaving India firmly in charge as the West Indies faced another uphill battle.
