Experienced Indians show maturity in the 2nd innings

Indians had themselves to blame than the pitch, which has put them in a spot of bother before Ashwin and Sehwag resurrected the 2nd innings, as Indians have showed some maturity of handling the depleted West Indians attack.

Indian batting in the 1st innings wore a dismal look - with the No.4 batsman and below could not cope with the depleted attack resulting in a 1st innings trial of about 95 runs. From a steady and healthy score of 100 for 1 in the 16th over, Indians added a further 54 runs from 120 deliveries by loosing 6 wickets. The batting reminded of the English drubbing they received a few months ago. Most of the batsmen were dismissed playing across the line where it was indicated that the batsmen can make merry while driving on the 'V'. and the West Indies made use of the situation by bowling wicket to wicket.

Earlier in the morning, the first session of the day, looked like the continuation of an exercise in making the Kotla pitch look brutish. India had started it yesterday, losing 10 wickets for 120 runs, and on this slow track with low but manageable bounce, West Indies found a way to loose wickets too!! The stunning transformation, however, came from the 1st innings century maker, Chanderpaul and the skipper Sammy. From a score of 88/7, W.Indies were folded after making 96 runs, thus asking Indians to chase a target of 276 runs.

Ashwin's clever use of the crease and the release of the carrom ball has put West Indies in a great spot of bother. That he has replaced Bhajji is a clear indication of what Indians had missed in the last couple of years.R Ashwin's 9 for 128 is the second-best match haul for an India bowler on debut behind Narendra Hirwani's 16 for 136 in Madras in 1988. Ashwin also becomes the fifth India spinner and the seventh India bowler overall to pick up a five-wicket haul on Test debut. His second-innings figures of 6 for 47 are third behind Hirwani's twin eight-wicket hauls in 1988.

Indians require another 124 runs to lead the series 1-0. I dont see any reason why Indians could not manage this since there is some maturity shown atlast.