NEW DELHI (AP) — John Campbell put up a career-best 87 not out on Sunday as West Indies battled on in its second innings of the second test against India, despite the hosts enforcing a follow-on.
Campbell’s previous test best was 68 against New Zealand in 2020, and on a slow-turning pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, he came up with a timely knock to keep the Indian attack at bay.
It was West Indies’ best batting performance of the series — a wicket-less session for the first time in two tests — and reached 173-2 (49 overs) at stumps.
Campbell faced 145 deliveries, while Shai Hope reached 66 not out. The duo put on 138 off 207 balls for the unbeaten third-wicket partnership, West Indies’ highest partnership for any wicket in seven tests in 2025.
West Indies still trails by 97 runs after it was bowled out for 248 runs (81.5 overs) in the first innings.
India had scored 518-5 in its first innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring 175, while skipper Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 129.
Kuldeep Yadav took 5-82 in 26.5 overs as the hosts gained a first-innings lead of 270 runs.
“We started the day well, but the wicket is really good to bat on. There isn’t much pace off the surface, so we just tried to hit our lengths. The first innings was brilliant (for me), but they batted really well in the second innings,” Yadav said after the close of play.
Jaydon Seales was last man out in the first innings for 13 runs, out lbw to Yadav who picked up his fifth five-for in 15 tests.
India enforced the follow-on despite batting-friendly conditions and the wicket offering slow turn. It showed with Jasprit Bumrah not coming on to bowl until the 33rd over of the second innings.
Mohammed Siraj had Tagenarine Chanderpual caught for 10, a fine diving catch by skipper Gill, and then Washington Sundar bowled Alick Athanaze (7) at the stroke of tea with West Indies 35-2.
The final session saw fine resistance from the unbeaten duo as Campbell defied the bowlers with stoic defense mixed with aggression on loose deliveries.
Hope, who also batted well in the first innings, carried on his form as he hit a first half-century in 32 test innings. He hit eight fours and two sixes in all, reaching 50 off 80 balls.
It was Campbell who stole the limelight however as he notched up West Indies’ first half-century of the series off 69 balls, and then reached his personal best. He hit nine fours and two sixes, with Indian bowlers looking tired towards the end.
Their 100-run partnership came off 149 balls, the first for West Indies in four innings in this two-test series.
And it came after West Indies had lost four wickets in the morning session, reaching 217-8 at lunch.
Yadav took three wickets as the visitors sunk to 163-6 starting from their overnight 140-4. Hope (36) and Tevin Imlach (21) resisted, before the wrist spinner broke through.
Hope was bowled, while Imlach was lbw to Yadav. Yadav then added a third wicket of the morning when he trapped Justin Greaves lbw for 17. Siraj had bowled Jomel Warrican (1) as West Indies lost four wickets for 19 runs across seven overs.
India is 1-0 up in the two-match series, after it won the first test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 140 runs. West Indies has not beaten India in their last 26 tests — home or away — dating to 2002.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Chetan Narula, The Associated Press
