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the hosts.
At stumps on day four, West Indies were 76 for 2 in 32 overs with R Ashwin removing Kraigg Brathwaite (28) and Kirk McKenzie (0). The hosts need another 289 runs on the final day for an improbable win. Tagnarine Chanderpaul and Jermaine Blackwood were batting on 24 and 20 respectively at close of play.
The day saw multiple rain stoppages and only three overs could be bowled in the afternoon session. Rain is expected on day five as well and the unpredictable weather played a role in India’s ultra-attacking mindset with skipper Rohit Sharma (57 off 44) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (38 off 30) going hammer and tongs from ball one. Ishan Kishan also got into the act with an unbeaten 52 off 34 balls in his second Test and shared an unconquered 79-run stand with Shubman Gill (29 off 37).
Coming ahead of Virat Kohli at number four considering the stage of the game, Kishan made the opportunity count with a power-packed effort comprising four boundaries and a couple of sixes.
Rohit himself was in devastating touch in the morning session as he struck his fastest fifty, off 35 balls, in Test cricket. Rohit and Jaiswal batted on T20 mode after Siraj cleaned up the West Indies lower-order in the first hour of play.
With the ball, it was all about Siraj as he secured a career-best five-wicket haul with a sizzling spell and ended with figures of five for 60 in 23.4 overs. The hosts, who resumed the day at 229 for five, lost five wickets for 26 runs to concede a huge advantage to India.
Siraj, who is the leader of India’s pace attack in the Caribbean in the absence of Mohammed Shami and injured Jasrpit Bumrah, has embraced the responsibility.
However, it was debutant Mukesh Kumar who triggered the West Indies collapse by trapping southpaw Alick Athanaze (37) in front with an inswinger in the first over of the day. Play began half hour before the scheduled time after time was lost due to rain on day three.