Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Shami’s bowling figures were the best by an Indian pace bowler on debut since 1932
India pace bowler Mohammed Shami took four wickets on his Test debut as the West Indies were skittled out for a disappointing 234 on the first day of the first Test in Kolkata.
Despite a brilliant knock of 65 by all-rounder Marlon Samuels, the West Indies simply had no answer to Shami’s bowling.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, his decision to do so backfired as opening batsman Chris Gayle was was caught out off the bowling of Bhuvneshwar Kumar for just 18 runs.
Gayle’s opening partner, Kieran Powell, failed to last much longer as he was caught out off the bowling of Shami for 28.
With the West Indies having lost two wickets in quick succession, Samuels and Darren Bravo came to the rescue with an outstanding 91-run partnership, during which Samuels registered his half-century, before he was clean bowled by Shami for 65 off 98 balls, which included 11 boundaries and two sixes.
Besides a gutsy 36 by veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the West Indies’ middle and lower order completely collapsed under the pressure of the Indian bowling attack.
The men from the Caribbean were eventually bowled out for 234.
Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers with four wickets, while Ravichandran Ashwin snapped up two and Kumar, Pragyan Ojha and Sachin Tendulkar, who is playing in his 199th Test match, all chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Shami’s 4/71 are the best bowling figures for an Indian pace bowler on debut since Mohammad Nissar’s 5/93 against England at Lord’s in 1932.
Trailing by 234, India got off to a solid start as their opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay put together an unbeaten 37-run partnership before stumps was called.
Dhawan finished on 21 off 27 balls, which included four boundaries, while Vijay remained undefeated on 16 off 45 deliveries, which included two boundaries.
The pair will resume batting at 09:00 local time or 03:30 GMT.