Shubman ton, Jadeja's scalps take India towards another early finish
New Delhi (PTI): Shubman Gill the batter led the way with his 10th century and then the captain gave his strike-bowler Ravindra Jadeja enough time to tighten the noose on West Indies as India galloped towards another comprehensive victory in the second Test, here Saturday.
Gill (129 not out) cruised to his century in the post-lunch session but without caring for an easy double hundred which looked inevitable against a poor bowling attack.
He declared the Indian innings with hosts reaching 518 for five, one hour into post lunch session.
What stood out on the day was how 'Gill the batter' and 'Gill the skipper' were in perfect sync.
The skipper didn't let the 'batter' take over in pursuit of personal glory even though there was enough time at his disposal to beef up his personal statistics.
Despite the pitch not having any significant wear and tear, it was still good enough for Ravindra Jadeja (3/37) to work his magic in tandem with Kuldeep Yadav (1/45), reducing West Indies to 140 for four in 43 overs.
For Viv Richards and Brian Lara, seated in the stands, watching the application from some of the Caribbean batters certainly wouldn't have been amusing.
John Campbell would consider himself extremely unlucky for the way he got dismissed. His full-blooded sweep that should have gone for a boundary, rammed into Sai Sudharsan's knuckle and got stuck as he was trying an evasive action.
But Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34) and Alick Athanaze (41) added 66 runs before Jadeja and Kuldeep struck in quick succession.
Chanderpaul perished while trying to open the face of the bat as he dabbed one down to third man and was caught in slips by KL Rahul.
Athanaze played a forgettable hoick when Kuldeep baited him and the lob was taken by Jadeja at mid-wicket.
Skipper Roston Chase (0) offered a tame return catch to Jadeja and it was a tale of familiar collapse.
The second day was all about trying to make a sense of Gill, who is starting to be impressive with each passing day.
The skipper, who faced 196 deliveries, hit 16 boundaries and two sixes, added 91 for the fourth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (43) and 102 for the fifth wicket with Dhruv Jurel (44), who decided to up the ante after lunch.
India on the second day batted for 44.2 overs and added 200 runs to the overnight score of 318 for two.
Gill's century came with a cut shot off Khary Pierre that got him three runs. With his fifth century in last seven Tests apart from a half-century in the previous game, the skipper showed that the batter in him hasn't exactly been affected.
Even as Yashasvi Jaiswal (175, 258 balls) was unfortunately run-out at the start of the day, Gill's concentration didn't waver as he controlled the tempo of the game as per his will.
When the field was brought up, he would hit over the top. If the West Indies skipper Chase packed the off-side field, Gill inevitably played on the on-side.
Once a flurry of boundaries were hit, Chase was forced to keep a deep point and a deep square leg to cut down on boundaries. That helped him use the wide gaps to take those singles and doubles.
The best shot of the morning session and that too by a distance was the one that brought up Gill's second fifty of the series.
With a packed off-side field, Jayden Seales bowled on middle-leg with Gill flicking it through the vacant mid-wicket region. When Justin Greaves was brought into the attack, his lack of pace allowed Gill to step out and loft him over mid-wicket for his first six.
Gill, who had decided to defend during the final hour of the opening day, came out with a different mindset. It only helped that Anderson Phillip sprayed all over and was hit for a flurry of boundaries. A delivery on the pads was quickly dispatched behind square on the leg-side.
In his next over, Phillip was cut square of the wicket -- one a bit late behind square and the other in-front with same intent that produced same result. There was an on-drive and when the keeper was brought up to the stumps with '7-2' off-side field, he stepped out and hit over extra cover.
The only possible mode of dismissal for Jaiswal (175) seemed to be a run-out, and Gill could be held partly responsible as it was Jaiswal's call after he had pushed the ball slightly to the right of mid-off.
By stumps on the second day though, Gill had more than made amends for his mistake in the morning.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
