West Indies 304 (Chanderpaul 118, Brathwaite 63, Ojha 6-72, Ashwin 3-81) v India
A lot of Test cricket in India is about patience, more so on slow, low, lifeless pitches such as the Kotla. After sharing honours on day one, India persevered to dismiss West Indies within four sessions. The most patient and accurate of them, Pragyan Ojha, walked away with a maiden five-for, and started the slide that brought India five wickets for 48 runs on the second day. It might read like a sensational collapse, but it took India 83 minutes. That four of the five fell lbw spoke of India's accuracy, and that nine out of the 10 wickets fell to spin hinted at what the best way of taking wickets on this track is.India made a token attempt with pace, and the uneventful seven overs at the top yielded 11 uneventful runs. Throughout, India made sure there were no easy boundaries available. The third man gap was plugged, and in-and-out fields employed. Then came Ojha. Carlton Baugh, who had faced 70 balls without any loose shot, now tried the huge sweep, and missed a full ball.
Darren Sammy lofted Ojha for a four over mid-on, and MS Dhoni's immediate reaction was to send mid-on back. Dhoni wasn't backing away, he was just blocking the release shots. Sammy anticipated a flatter delivery and stayed back, but Ojha bowled it fuller than was anticipated, and a touch-and-go lbw call went Ojha's way.
Then came the big wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but he could be unhappy with two men at the other end. First part of the blame rested with Ravi Rampaul who declined an easy single a ball before Chanderpaul was dismissed. Then the actual dismissal, to Ishant Sharma, from wide of the crease from round the stumps, short of a length, angling in, hitting the outside half of the pad, in front of middle and leg.
R Ashwin and Ojha shared the last two between them, leaving India about 27 minutes to bat before lunch.
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