WI v IND Flashback: The Kingston Test of 2006

Tags: India tour of West Indies 2016, India, West Indies, West Indies vs India 2nd Test at Jamaica, Jul 30-Aug 03, 2016

Published on: Jul 28, 2016

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As India prepare to face West Indies in the second Test of the series at Kingston, Jamaica, we turn the clock back a decade, and look at the low-scoring contest in 2006

As India prepare to face West Indies in the second Test of the series at Kingston, Jamaica, we turn the clock back a decade, and look at the low-scoring contest in 2006 at the same venue, which India won under Rahul Dravid, who was also the man of the match in the game.

Toss: India won and chose to bat

Batting first, India struggled and managed only 200 runs in their innings, getting all-out in the 88th over. Dravid top scored for India with a hard-fought 81 from 215 balls on a surface where batting conditions were tough. Lower down the order, Anil Kumble also chipped in with 45. The rest of the batting however faltered. Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif all fell cheaply to leave India in trouble. For the hosts, the recently retired Jerome Taylor stood out with 5 for 50.

India hit back hard with the ball to come back right into contention in the match. Harbhajan Singh ran through the Windies batting line up with figures of 5 for 13 in 4.3 overs. His wickets included Darren Ganga, Dwayne Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Denesh Ramdin. S. Sreesanth picked up the big scalps of Brian Lara and Chris Gayle as the hosts crumbled to 103, and India gained a significant lead in the context of the low-scoring match.

The batting troubles for India continued in the second innings as well as they managed only 171. Again, it was Dravid who was the pillar of the innings. He made 68 from 166 balls. The innings crumbled around him as no other player could hold fort, and give Dravid support. The pacers did most of the damage for the hosts. Corey Collymore finished with 5 for 48 while Taylor again shone with 4 for 45. Owing to their first innings collapse though, West Indies were left with a tense target of 269.

India's bowlers successfully defended the target, keeping West Indies down to 219. If Harbhajan shone in the first innings, it was Kumble's turn to deliver in the second. He finished with impressive figures of 6 for 78. His wickets included the big ones of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Bravo, Marlon Samuels, and he also ran through the tail. Again, Sreesanth chipped in, taking out Gayle and Ganga while Munaf Patel trapped Lara lbw for 11. This victory remains among India's memorable ones away from home, more so as India also went on to clinch the series 1-0.

--By A Cricket Analyst

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