New Delhi: John Campbell saved his best for last with a counter-punching unbeaten 87 as the West Indies batters showed rare resilience to live and fight another day after being asked to follow on by India on the third day of the second Test here Saturday.
Riding on a 138 run unbroken stand between Campbell and Shai Hope (66 batting), West Indies reached 173 for two at stumps. These are the only half-centuries that the visitors have managed in this short series, so far.
The West Indies still need 97 runs to force India to bat again and avoid defeat by an innings margin.
Although India’s victory is a certainty, the counter-attack from Campbell and Hope would give them renewed confidence before their tour of New Zealand. In the first two sessions, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (5/82) had set the ball rolling for an early finish with his fifth five-for in Test cricket with West Indies folding for 248 in their first essay.
With 270 runs in arrears and history of three back-to-back shoddy batting shows, it was expected that Indian bowlers will make a short work of the Windies line-up.
West Indies went into the tea with scorecard reading 35 for 2 but Campbell altered his strategy by adopting an offensive approach
as he took the aerial route against Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep. With occasional deliveries keeping low but pitch offering no significant wear and tear, batting wasn’t a difficult proposition. Seeing Campbell take the attack back to the opposition camp, even Hope gained in
confidenc.