Mayank Agarwal falls after hitting 55, India 118/3 halfway second session on Day 1 of 2nd Test
Kingston, Aug 30: Opener Mayank Agarwal fell after scoring his third career half century while captain Virat Kohli was batting solid on 31 as India reached 118 for 3 midway the second session on the opening day of World Test Championships second match against the West Indies here today.
Agarwal departed at 55 after steadying the Indian innings with a solid batting display in his 127-ball knock from which he hit seven boundaries. His cut shot in the 41st over of the India innings went straight to first slip fielder Rahkeem Cornwall.
Kohli, on his part, was gaining in confidence after a watchful batting in the morning session. He has faced 74 deliveries so far from which he hit three boundaries. Ajinkya Rahane was giving him company on 2 from 12 balls at the drinks break -- which was called after 44 overs in the post-lunch session.
Agarwal and Kohli resumed the second session at the team score of 72 for 2 and added 69 runs from 24 overs for the third wicket.
Playing in his fourth Test, the 28-year-old Agarwal reached to his fifty as he edged a Kemar Roach delivery to the boundary ropes.
Kohli took time to settle down on a tricky pitch as he took 16 balls to open his account during the morning session. He was tested by the tight bowling from the West Indians especially by debutant off-spinner Rakheem Cornwall.
Earlier, India laboured their way to 72 for 2 from 30 overs after opener K L Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara were dismissed cheaply in the opening session.
Rahul and Pujara were out for 13 and 6 respectively after India were put into bat on a Sabina Park pitch which had some grass on it.
After West Indies captain Jason Holder opted to field, Rahul and Agarwal negotiated the first half an hour without taking any risk on a tricky pitch.
Holder introduced himself in the seventh over and immediately got the breakthrough by having the wicket of Rahul to break the 32-run opening stand.
It was a peach of a delivery which jagged away from middle stump with Rahul edging it to Cornwall at first slip for a comfortable catch. Rahul hit two fours in his 26-ball innings.
Holder was getting the bounce and movement and debutant Cornwall made the Indians toil for runs with his tight off-spin bowling.
India were 36 for 1 in 13 overs at the drinks break.
Pujara, who came after Rahul's departure in the seventh over, struggled again as he took 15 deliveries to open his account and was finally out for 6 which came from 25 balls.
The bounce extracted by 26-year-old off-spinner Cornwall, who stands at 6ft and 5 inches and weights more than 140kg, did brought Pujara's downfall as he hit straight to the hands of Shamarh Brooks.
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AAP indulging in 'dangerous vendetta politics': Raghav Chadha after meeting President Murmu
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government of indulging in 'vendetta politics' and misusing the state machinery to target the MPs who recently quit the party and merged with the BJP in the Rajya Sabha.
Chadha, along with three other MPs, met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday and submitted a representation alleging harassment and "politically motivated" action against them following their exit from AAP.
Rajya Sabha MPs Rajinder Gupta and Ashok Mittal were part of the delegation.
"All those MPs who exercised their constitutional right to express disagreement with the Aam Aadmi Party and chose to leave it, and all these incidents and developments, have been presented today before the President of India. I also want to tell the Aam Aadmi Party that as long as we were obedient, we were considered cultured. The moment we left, we were branded corrupt," Chadha told reporters here after the meeting.
He alleged that several former AAP MPs who have joined the BJP are facing intimidation and coercive actions from state agencies.
"The Aam Aadmi Party, which accuses everyone else of revenge politics, is today itself indulging in dangerous vendetta politics. Since April 24, when we left AAP and merged with the BJP, our MPs are being systematically targeted and harassed," he said.
Citing specific instances, Chadha claimed that former cricketer and MP Harbhajan Singh has been attacked, while industrialist and MP Rajendra Gupta's business operations have allegedly been disrupted.
"We left the Aam Aadmi Party on April 24, 2026, and merged with the BJP. Since then, harassment of our MPs has begun. First, World Cup-winning cricketer Harbhajan Singh had "traitor" written outside his house. Stones were thrown at his residence with the help of Punjab Police, and offensive slogans were raised targeting his family," he alleged.
"Then, our colleague Rajinder Gupta, a Padma Shri awardee and an industrialist running a major factory in Punjab's Malwa region--providing livelihood to around 30,000 people--had his factory targeted. The Punjab government allegedly cut off its water supply, and the Pollution Board conducted raids to initiate its closure," he said.
He further claimed that cases have been registered against MP Sandeep Pathak, terming them "malicious and fabricated".
"These FIRs and notices are so frivolous that they are not worth the paper they are written on. The judiciary will tear them apart," Chadha said.
He warned the AAP government that such actions could have serious consequences. "Using vigilance, the Pollution Board, and the police for political revenge is a dangerous game. You may have started it, but the end will not be good. This must stop," he said.
"The AAP has a government in one state and control over the police there. The BJP has governments in 21 states and control over police forces in those states," he added.
Chadha also alleged that attempts are being made to target him next through "fabricated cases" and claimed that social media campaigns are being run to malign them.
Appealing to Punjab government officials, he urged them not to act under political pressure. "I want to tell officials that you are respected officers. Do not succumb to threats of transfer or suspension. Act according to law and in national interest," he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also took a swipe at the AAP, saying those who invoke Mahatma Gandhi's ideals are now misusing state machinery for political purposes. "The people of Punjab must know how their government is being used to settle political scores," Chadha added.
Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak alleged that the party is now resorting to coercive measures out of "fear and panic".
"We joined the Aam Aadmi Party because it showed the country a dream -- a dream of starting a new kind of politics, an honest form of politics. While being there, due to ideological reasons and after witnessing several inconsistencies, we decided to leave the party," he said.
"Out of fear and panic, the Aam Aadmi Party is now filing FIRs. They are conducting raids in factories and trying to intimidate people through false FIRs. I want to say 'go ahead, file FIRs', but do not back off afterwards. We will fight legally," he told reporters.
Advising the AAP government, Pathak asserted that governance, not intimidation, is the only way forward.
"You cannot save a government through such dirty tactics. If you want to retain power, you must work honestly. If you think you can stop us through false and fabricated FIRs, that is not possible. We have stepped out ready to sacrifice everything and will do what is right for the country," he said.
Pathak mentioned that the President assured them that constitutional protections would be upheld.
Taking a swipe at the ruling party, Chadha said its tenure in Punjab is now short-lived. "This government has only a few months left; it will go. They will simply board the Shatabdi and return to Delhi. They have no future in Punjab," he said.
Later, in a post on X, Chadha said that he, along with three other MPs, conveyed to the President how the AAP's Punjab government is misusing state machinery to target them for exercising their constitutional rights.
"The party that once cried vendetta is now practising its most toxic form," he wrote.
"We take strength from the President's assurance that constitutional rights and democratic choices must be respected," he added, while likening the AAP's conduct to that of a "bitter and vindictive" former ally.
