The way Queen’s Park Oval track was playing up until the third day, it seemed that the second Test between India and West Indies is heading towards draw.
However, India pacer Mohammed Siraj delivered a fiery spell in the morning session on Day 4, picking a five-wicket haul to help the visitors bundle out West Indies for 255.
After taking a substantial first-innings lead of 183 runs, India declared their second innings on 181/2 on the back of quickfire knocks from Rohit Sharma (57 off 44), Ishan Kishan (52* off 34) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (38 off 30).
Chasing 365 to win, West Indies were 76/2 at stumps, requiring 289 runs on the final day to seal the Test match. On the other hand, India need eight wickets to clinch the series 2-0 and Siraj has no doubt that star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will pose a massive threat to the Caribbean batters on the final day.
Notably, Ashwin has claimed both wickets in West Indies’ second innings so far while the ace off-spinner returned with a 12-wicket haul in India’s victory in the series opener in Dominica.
"The way the wicket is behaving, Ashwin, I feel, will run through the West Indies batting... the ball is turning," said Siraj at the end of day's play.
Commenting on India’s aggressive batting approach in the second innings, Siraj lauded wicketkeeper-batter Kishan’s dazzling half-century.
"Yes, Ishan is an aggressive batter. Rishabh Pant is not there, so as a wicketkeeper he (Ishan) is able to fill in for Pant's loss to a certain extent, if not completely.
"He has the ability to hit the ball long and hard. He has the ability to hit all around the ground. We had enough runs on the board (first-innings lead), so our plan was to score as many (runs in the second innings) in a short period and then (after declaration), we would be able to get more overs to bowl out the West Indies."
Reflecting on his five-wicket haul, the right-arm quick said it wasn't easy bowling in hot and humid conditions with frequent rain interruptions.
"I would rate my performance very high because it's not easy to take five wickets on a flat wicket. I had set a plan, especially when the ball started reverse-swinging, I executed my line and length perfectly.
"My plan was simple... since the ball wasn't doing much, I kept it stump-to-stump and also derived some seam (movement)," Siraj stated.
"When you bowl long spells in this heat and humidity, it is not easy. Then intermittent rains and to warm up again and again after every rain break, it was very challenging."
In the end, Mohammed Siraj praised fellow pacer Mukesh Kumar, who picked up a couple of wickets in West Indies’ second innings on his Test debut.
"Mukesh is not a new player. He plays Ranji Trophy regularly and bowls on difficult wickets. It's not easy to take wickets in Ranji Trophy, where wickets (pitches) are even more flat than the one at Port of Spain.
"Performing in domestic cricket is a huge achievement and then coming here and controlling your nerves is not easy. He is playing his first match for India and that too a Test and he is bowling long spells," he concluded.
(With agency inputs)
