KL Rahul Left To Question Reality As WI Star Bowls 'Ball Of The Series'
KL Rahul looked destined to score a half-century on Day One of the Second Test against West Indies in New Delhi before Jomel Warrican bowled a delivery he is unlikely to forget soon. Warrican set up the dismissal of Rahul with impeccable tactics, getting a delivery to turn away from the India batter by more than 8 degrees, after getting the previous go almost straight. Rahul, after being stumped, struggled to understand what happened to him, whereas Warrican was delighted to draw first blood.
Rahul had to depart after scoring 38 runs from 54 balls, including five fours and one six.
What's interesting to see is that Warrican managed to get the previous two deliveries to run by 2.7 degrees and 0.8 degrees respectively, but the third one turned by a mind-boggling margin of 8.4 degrees. Rahul, his partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, and even the commentators were stunned.
The nature of the turn also raises questions on the nature of the pitch that has been prepared for the Test. If a delivery is turning as much on the opening day, spinners could run riot in the remaining days of the match.
Electing to bat, Yashasvi Jaiswal (40 not out off 78 balls) and Rahul (38 off 54 balls) notched up a 58-run partnership to give India a good start before the latter was stumped by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach off the bowling of left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.
At lunch, Jaiswal and one-drop batter Sai Sudharsan (16 off 36 balls) were at the crease.
Earlier, India skipper Shubman Gill won his first toss as captain and elected to bat, retaining the same playing XI that had defeated the Roston Chase-led West Indies by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test at Ahmedabad.
West Indies made two changes, bringing in wicketkeeper Imlach and Anderson Phillip in place of Brandon King and Johann Layne.
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