India are widely expected to do yet another cleansweep on the West Indies when the two sides face each other in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Incidentally, the first ever Test match to be played at this stadium, which was also the first to be hosted by India as an independent nation, was against the West Indies as well, all the way back in November 1948. The buildup to both matches, however, couldn’t be more different.
West Indies were hardly able to challenge India in any department of the game in the first Test in Ahmedabad earlier this month. Moreover, they have won just two Tests against India in the 21st century, both of which came in the same series all the way back in 2002.
By stark contrast, the West Indies team led by John Goddard which toured India for five Test matches starting with the one in New Delhi came into the series having beaten England 2-0 at home. That earlier series had helped them unearth the three W’s – Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott. Two of them, Weekes and Walcott, had travelled to India and the latter scored the first of his 15 Test centuries in that Test in New Delhi. India, on the other hand, were hosting their first match as an independent nation.
Walcott and Gomez shut shop after India make early inroads
West Indies had won the toss and chosen to bat first against the Indian side led by Lala Amarnath. His move to take himself off early on and bring on his pacers Commandur Rangachari worked wonders for India. Rangachari knocked off West Indies openers Allan Rae and Jeffrey Stollmeyer and then dismissed the legendary George Headley to leave the visitors 27/3. But, there were to be no more wickets for India that day as Walcott and Gerry Gomez shut up shop. Walcott had scored his maiden Test century and was batting on 152 at the close of play. Gomez, on the other hand, was on 99.
Gomez completed that century but India took control early in the second day. They first ran out Walcott for 152 and then captain Amarnath dismissed Gomez for 101. Then came the next pair of centuries for West Indies. The second W, Weekes, scored 128 while Robert Chrstiani made 107. West Indies were eventually all out for 631 runs with nearly three days left. India were faced with the possibility of suffering an innings defeat in the first ever Test match that they hosted as an independent nation.
Hemu Adhikari’s rescue act
But dismissing the dogged Indian batting lineup proved to be a task too steep for the West Indies. Hemu Adhikari was front and centre in the rescue effort. Opener KC Ibrahim, No.3 Rusi Modi and Amarnath and No.4 all scored half centuries. Adhikari walked in when Amarnath had fallen on 62 to Prior Jones and he went back only when No.11 Keki Tarapore fell. He was unbeaten on 114 and but India were all out for 454 at Stumps on Day 4. Adhikari was at the crease at the end of Day 5 as well, unbeaten on 29 with Chandu Sarwate at the other end on 35. Goddard had enforced the follow on but West Indies could only take six of the 10 wickets. India finished with a score of 220/6.
Interestingly, the West Indies went on to have a proud record at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. They played a total of six Tests in New Delhi in the 20th century and never lost, winning two of those in December 1974 and November 1987. Their first loss on this ground came in November 2011, which was also the last time they played a Test here.
