Pujara, Sharma centuries put India in sight of victory

…Shillingford emerges pick of WI bowlers with 5-179

MUMBAI, India, (CMC)- A five wicket haul from spin bowler Shane Shillingford was overshadowed by centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma that have put India within sight of victory against West Indies on the second day of the second Test here yesterday.Shillingford again emerged the pick of the West Indies bowlers, collecting 5-179 from 43 overs but Pujara’s 113 and Sharma’s undefeated 111 have put India in the driver’s seat and nicely poised to make a clean sweep of the two match series.
Part-time off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine supported Shillingford, grabbing 2-45 from 11 overs, including the prized scalp of India star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, possibly playing his final innings in an unprecedented 200th and final Test.
India were bowled out for 495 and West Indies now face the daunting task of saving the match at the Wankhede Stadium, after they closed the second day on 43 for three in their second innings, still 270 in arrears.
West Indies ran into early trouble negotiating 14 overs before the close and losing the wickets of opener Kieran Powell, night-watchman Tino Best and left-hander Darren Bravo.
In the space of 37 balls, Powell was caught at long-off for nine off Ravichandran Ashwin, Best was adjudged lbw to an arm-ball from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha for the same score, and Bravo was caught at slip off Ashwin from a cut for 11.
Chris Gayle was not out on six with his compatriot Marlon Samuels set to follow when play resumes on Saturday’s third day.
Before lunch, Deonarine and West Indies captain Darren Sammy forever had their names etched in history, when they linked up to dismiss Tendulkar, as India reached 282 for three at the interval.
To the disappointment of the thousands of fans of the little Indian master batsman in the stands and following the game around the World, Deonarine, had Tendulkar caught at slip by Sammy for 74, trying to guide a delivery to third man.
Deonarine raced towards cover in jubilation and Sammy sank to his knees, as Tendulkar trudged away disappointed, his hope for fairy-tale departure hundred dashed, following a stand of 144 for the third wicket with Pujara.
Tino Best had engaged in a fierce battle with Tendulkar, whose silky off-drive past the bowler for his ninth four brought him his 50 from 92 balls, and consecutive fours off Shillingford in his 13th over also had the Tendulkar touch of class about them.
Pujara was fortunate on 76, when he turned a delivery from Shillingford to forward short leg and Powell appeared to take a catch.
Standing umpire Nigel Llong of England consulted with square leg umpire and compatriot Richard Kettleborough before referring the decision to TV umpire Vineet Kulkarni of India.
After several replays that suggested a clean catch and what seemed an eternity, West Indies hopes for another important breakthrough before the interval were ruined, much to their consternation.
Shillingford struck again, when Pujara offered a tame return catch from a leading edge, and Best had India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni caught at second slip for four, leaving the home team 365 for six.
After the break, West Indies had early success, when Shillingford claimed five wickets for the sixth time in his 12 Tests, when he had Bhuvneshwar Kumar caught at slip for four before Kieran Powell’s direct hit from deep mid-wicket at the striker’s end ran Pragyan Ojha out for a duck, leaving India 415 for nine.
Shillingford thought he had Sharma and six wickets for the second straight Test, when the batsman swung him to cow corner and Deonarine moved under the ball to hold a tumbling catch – but umpire Llong asked for the dismissal to be reviewed and Kulkarni spotted a no-ball from the West Indies off-spinner.
Deonarine wrapped the innings up when he had Mohammed Shami caught at deep backward square leg for 11.

SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES 1st Innings
(K. Powell 48; P. Ojha 5-40)
INDIA 1st Innings
(overnight 157 for two)
M. Vijay c Sammy b Shillingford 43
S. Dhawan c Chanderpaul b Shillingford 33
C. Pujara c and b Shillingford 113
S. Tendulkar c Sammy b Deonarine 74
V. Kohli c Sammy b Shillingford 57
R. Sharma not out 111
*+M.S. Dhoni c Sammy b Best 4
R. Ashwin c and b Gabriel 30
B. Kumar c Sammy b Shillingford 4
P. Ojha run out (Powell) 0
Mohammed Shami c Best b Deonarine 11
Extras (b8, lb2, w2, nb3) 15
TOTAL (all out) 495
Fall of wickets: 1-77 (Dhawan), 2-77 (Vijay), 3-221 (Tendulkar), 4-315 (Kohli), 5-354 (Pujara), 6-365 (Dhoni), 7-409 (Ashwin), 8-414 (Kumar), 9-415 (Ojha)
Bowling: Sammy 9-1-41-0; Gabriel 16-0-85-1 (nb1); Shillingford 43-6-179-5 (nb2); Best 18-0-93-1 (w2); Samuels 11-0-42-0; Deonarine 11-0-45-2
Overs: 108

WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
C. Gayle not out 6
K. Powell c Mohammed Shami b Ashwin 9
T. Best lbw b Ojha 9
D.M. Bravo lbw b Ashwin 11
Extras (b4, lb4) 8
TOTAL (3 wkts) 43
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Powell), 2-28 (Best), 3-43 (Bravo)
Bowling: Kumar 3-0-4-0; Mohammed Shami 2-0-7-0; Ashwin 4.2-2-12-2; Ojha 3-1-12-1
Position: West Indies trail by 270 runs with seven second innings wickets standing

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