By Amlan Chakraborty
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India enforced the follow-on and then reduced West Indies to 35-2 at tea to maintain a stranglehold on the second and final test on day three of the contest on Sunday.
The home side, who won the series opener in Ahmedabad inside three days, have been on the ascendancy since amassing 518-5 before declaring their first innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Kuldeep Yadav (5-82) hollowed out the West Indies batting lineup and the tourists were bowled out for 248 soon after the lunch break and were asked to follow on.
West Indies are still 235 behind with John Campbell (18) in the middle having lost batting partner Alick Athanaze on the stroke of tea.
Earlier, India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Yadav wreaked havoc after West Indies resumed their first innings on 140-4.
The onus was on Shai Hope (36) to lead the tourists’ fightback but after 30 minutes of lull, Yadav sparked a collapse.
Hope lost his off-stump while Tevin Imlach and Justin Greaves fell lbw to the spinner.
Seamer Mohammed Siraj cleaned up Jomel Warrican but Khary Pierre (23) and Anderson Phillip (24 not out) refused to throw in the towel.
Jasprit Bumrah bowled Pierre and West Indies soon collapsed conceding a first innings lead of 270. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja claimed 3-46.
India did not have to wait long for a breakthrough after enforcing follow-on.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul (10) tried to pull Siraj and India captain Shubman Gill darted from short midwicket and dived to take a smart catch.
Off-spinner Washington Sundar bowled Athanaze for seven with the final delivery before the tea break to keep India on top.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
