Mumbai: Day 2 of the second Test between India and the West Indies in New Delhi saw a gripping contest as India tightened their hold on the match through disciplined bowling and intelligent captaincy. Speaking on ‘Amul Cricket Live’, JioStar experts Anil Kumble and Daren Ganga shared their insights on Ravindra Jadeja’s clever use of the surface, the resilient partnership between Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, and Shubman Gill’s authoritative innings.
Speaking on ‘Amul Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Anil Kumble elaborated on Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling:
“On a surface like this, where the pace has slowed down, as the game has progressed, hitting that spot just short of a length and hurrying the batter is key. That’s exactly the kind of length Jadeja operates in. It’s one of the main reasons why he has been India’s most successful spinner and bowler so far. It’s similar to how a fast bowler needs to hit the pitch hard on a slightly damp surface to get seam movement. Likewise, for a spinner, you can’t just toss it up, you need to bowl it into the surface, which is what Jadeja does so well. That’s when the variations and vagaries of the pitch come into play. If it hits the rough, there’s sharp turn due to the pace he bowls at, but if it lands on a decent patch, it can skid through. That makes him so dangerous on such tracks. When he bowls slightly shorter, forcing batters into mistakes, like Roston Chase trying to clear the mid-wicket gap or Chanderpaul getting out to a ball that straightened after Jadeja had been spinning it into him. It was clever bowling from Ravindra Jadeja.”
Speaking on ‘Amul Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Daren Ganga also spoke about Jadeja’s performance:
“You have to give him credit for what he did tactically. His approach was very different from the West Indies’ left-arm spinners. He bowled a little wider outside the off-stump to the left-handers, targeting those rough areas to extract assistance from the surface. He’s one of the few bowlers who bowls the ball into the pitch, allowing the surface to do the work. That added pace and discipline in line and length make him invaluable to this Indian side. He persisted with his plans and was rewarded with the wicket of Roston Chase, a soft dismissal, perhaps, but one that opened the door for India just when the West Indies were trying to regain control in the session.”
On the partnership between Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Daren Ganga said:
“For the first time in this series, the West Indies managed a 50-plus partnership — between Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul. Both looked comfortable at the crease, two young players working together to find scoring solutions and spend time in the middle. Athanaze, in particular, was confident playing the sweep and reverse sweep, constantly transferring pressure back on the bowlers. Jadeja’s line outside off-stump gave them options to sweep safely, minimizing the LBW risk. However, the challenge for West Indies batting remains consistency, sustaining that solid start. Athanaze’s dismissal, off the first ball of Kuldeep Yadav’s spell, was disappointing. Having been in control, he went across the line and virtually gifted his wicket away. Perhaps the blow he took from Bumrah earlier unsettled him a bit. He’ll look back on that as a missed opportunity to convert his start into a big score.”
On Shubman Gill’s innings and leadership, Anil Kumble added:
“Captaining India is never easy. It’s not just about on-field decisions but also handling several responsibilities off it, and Shubman has done exceptionally well. On the field, he’s been outstanding, and as a batter, he’s shown great composure since taking over the captaincy. Today, was no different. He read the situation perfectly, attacked the spinners when needed, and maintained the scoring rate. For a young captain, scoring runs is vital. It earns respect in the dressing room, strengthens leadership, and builds authority. Usually, experienced players inherit captaincy after years of establishing themselves, but for Shubman, to step up early and perform this well reflects great maturity and bodes well for India’s future.”
Echoing the same sentiment, Daren Ganga commented on Shubman Gill’s innings:
“It defines him as a player — his quality, temperament, and ability to make his starts count. His conversion rate this year has been impressive. He’s handled that added responsibility remarkably well, separating his role as a batter from his role as captain. He hasn’t let one interfere with the other and is reaping the rewards. All credit to him. Shubman Gill is leading well, batting with confidence, and looks set to be at the helm of Indian cricket for a long time.”
