New Delhi: Bairstow built sizeable partnerships with first Ben Stokes and then Ben Foakes as England bounced back with the bat on the opening day of the series to close on 268/6.
West Indies seamers Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and Jason Holder all picked up two wickets on the day, with Holder producing astonishing control to concede just 15 runs from his 16 overs.
West Indies haven’t lost a home series to England since 2004 and showed why they will be confident of extending that run this time around in a dramatic opening session at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
With the sun out and the pitch looking every-inch a bat-first track, England was handed that opportunity of batting first after Joe Root won the toss.
One of the few England players to emerge with any credit from an abysmal Ashes campaign which ended in Australia just two months earlier, the 32-year-old Yorkshireman displayed the resolve which earned him a century in his previous Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
England’s fragile top-order had again been exposed within the first half-hour of the match with Root’s dismissal eliciting the greatest celebration from the West Indian players.
(SMIT SONI)
