Ashwin took 5 wickets as India bowled out West Indies for 150, reaching 80-0 in the first test

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin bowls alongside West Indies’ Rahkeem Cornwall on day one of their first cricket Test match at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica on July 12, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP

Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his 33rd five-wicket haul in tests and a piece of history as India beat West Indies for 150 on the first day of the first test on Wednesday.

At stumps, India were 80-0, just 70 runs behind with Yashasvi Jaiswal 40 not out and captain Rohit Sharma 30 not out.

Returning to the Indian team after missing the World Test Championship final in June, Ashwin took 5-60 from 24.3 overs, including the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul (12). In doing so, he became the first Indian and the fifth player to dismiss a father and son in test cricket: Ashwin dismissed Shivnarine Chanderpaul — Tagenarine’s father — in his debut test in 2011.

Also read | Ashwin became the first Indian bowler to dismiss both father and son in his Test career

Mitchell Starc, Ian Botham, Wasim Akram and South Africa spinner Simon Harmer are the only other players to have dismissed a father-son duo in tests: Starc and Harmer also achieved success against the Chanderpauls.

Ashwin also passed 700 wickets in all international formats.

“I thought it was a really good performance,” Ashwin said. “There was some moisture on the pitch in the first session. It slowed down and started spinning a bit. I enjoyed the spell in the first session and in the second I had to work a bit more.”

Bowling as the first change, Ashwin dismissed both openers in the morning session as West Indies went into lunch on 68-4.

He beat Chanderpaul with a doozy of a delivery, angled in from wide of the crease pitched on middle and straightened past the outside edge to hit.

Kraigg Brathwaite struggled to 20 in just over an hour when Sharma caught him at cover from Ashwin. The batsman tries to hit a fuller ball to midwicket but misses the length and slices it to the off side.

West Indies slumped to 137-8 by tea and Ashwin added the wickets of Alzarri Joseph and Alick Athanaze near the break.

Joseph misreads the carom ball which he thinks is off. Instead it turned away from leg and his attempt to hit the ball down the leg side resulted in a leading edge that was taken to Jaydev Unadkat at point.

Athanaze top-scored for the West Indies with 47, which came from 99 balls in 135 minutes and included six fours and a six. He looked well on his way to a half-century on debut when he was caught back by a shorter, quicker ball from Ashwin which he looked to pull but skied to Shardul Thakur.

Ashwin returned to finish the innings with the wicket of Jomel Warrican and to complete his fifth five-wicket bag against the West Indies, his fourth in the Caribbean. Rahkeem Cornwall was left 19 not out.

The Indian batsmen looked comfortable on a slowing pitch before stumps, bringing up their 50 partnership from 74 balls.

The match will start a new World Test Championship cycle.

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