IND vs WI, 1st Test: Jadeja-Jurel century stand powers hosts to 164-run lead (Day 2, Tea)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], October 3 (ANI): An attacking century partnership between half-centurions Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel helped India secure a lead of 164 runs at the end of second session on day two of first Test against West Indies at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.
At the end of the second session, India was 326/4, with Jurel (68*) and Jadeja (50*) unbeaten.
India started the second session at 218/3, with KL (100*) and Jurel (14*) unbeaten and the hosts leading by 56 runs.
Rahul could not add more to his tally, handing an easy catch to Justin Greaves at extra-cover, giving Jomel Warrican his wicket in the first over post-Lunch. India was 218/4, with the batter gone for a 197-ball 100, including 12 boundaries.
The Ravindra Jadeja-Jurel partnership started off aggressively, with the duo getting three sixes within a space of eight balls between the 71st and 72nd overs, with Jadeja running down the pitch to dispatch two sixes against Warrican over long-on and mid-on.
The duo continued securing boundaries against the spin duo of Warrican and Roston Chase, bringing up India's 250-run mark in 74.3 overs, with Jadeja once again running down the pitch and sending the ball to the ropes.
In the 76th over, India's lead exceeded 100 as a four from Jadeja and a maximum over long-on by Jurel helped them collect 11 runs against Chase. The duo brought up their fifty-run stand in just 77 balls.
Jurel survived a leg-before-wicket appeal against Jayden Seales and reached his second-half-century in 91 balls, with five fours and two sixes.
An elegant cut shot behind square by Jurel against Greaves took India to the 300-run mark in 87 overs.
Jurel and Jadeja continued to score with intent, reaching their 100 partnership in 151 balls. Jadeja was toying with Warrican, having hit him for all his four sixes.
With a single off Warrican, Jadeja reached his 28th Test fifty in 75 balls, with three fours and four sixes. The duo ended the session without a wicket.
At the end of the first session, India was 218/3, with KL (100*) and Jurel (14*) unbeaten. India leads by 56 runs.
India resumed the day two at 121/2, with skipper Gill (18*) and Rahul (53*) unbeaten.
Jayden Seales started the proceedings for WI, and KL collected two boundaries in the very first over, with the second being an edge.
For the next six overs, West Indies kept Indian batters searching for runs and the proceedings were really tight. However, the duo collected a four each in Justin Greaves' 46th over and eased the pressure, bringing up the 150-run mark at the over end.
After India touched the 150-run milestone, Gill and Rahul displayed some flashy strokeplay, with the Indian skipper picking up some speed, having scored three boundaries and taking India past WI's first innings total of 162 runs before the drinks break.
Gill continued from where he had left off in England, registering his 8th Test fifty, in 94 balls, with five fours. However, in an attempt to play a reverse sweep just like KL had against Greaves a few deliveries back, the Indian skipper handed an easy lob to slips. Skipper Roston got his Indian counterpart dismissed for 50 in 100 balls, and the 98-run stand was undone. India was 188/3.
India reached the 200-run mark in 60.5 overs, with Dhruv Jurel having joined KL at the crease.
KL finally reached his century, his 11th in Tests in 190 balls, with 12 fours. Taking a single against Chase, the Karnataka lad registered his first century on home soil since his 199 against England way back in 2016.
Jurel managed to finish the session with a classy off-drive for four in a dominant fashion.
Earlier, WI was bundled out for 162 after they opted to bat first, with Justin Greaves (32 in 48 balls, with four boundaries) top-scoring. Mohammed Siraj (four wickets) and Jasprit Bumrah (three wickets) dominated the WI batting.
Brief Scores: India: 326/4 (KL Rahul 100, Dhruv Jurel 68*, Roston Chase 2/37) against WI: 162 (Justin Greaves 32, Shai Hope 26, Mohammed Siraj 4/40). (ANI)