Ashwin century follows Kohli double

Tea India 512 for 6 (Ashwin 106*, Mishra 23*) v West IndiesLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Virat Kohli continued his efficient and energetic accumulation of runs to bring up his maiden first-class double hundred, but his dismissal in the first over after lunch brought West Indies some relief as 108 came off 35 overs in the second session. Promoted to No. 6, R Ashwin enjoyed some luck in the first hour of the day before strolling to his third hundred against West Indies, taking his average against them to 76.2.

A mark of the importance of Kohli’s innings is that India scored at 3.6 runs an over with him at the wicket, as opposed to 2.9 before and after him. Kohli’s intent – helped no doubt by a flat pitch and tiring bowlers – foiled West Indies’ plan pretty much from ball one: bowl defensively and ensure your stacked-up batting line-up has less time to survive. Kohli himself batted at 4.2 an over. Apart from Shannon Gabriel, no bowler – there was only one more specialist in the side – actively looked out for wickets, relying on frustrating batsmen. However, captain Kohli, India’s first to score an away double, took risks and made the bowlers bowl to him because he was driving the wide ones too.

Gabriel, though, should have had his second wicket early on the second day. West Indies’ wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich had waited for 423 overs over three Tests for his first opportunity at a dismissal. When Gabriel produced the outside …

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