IMAGES from Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Friday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal drove with precision, cut with ferocity and defended with doggedness to decimate a hapless West Indies attack with another 'Daddy Hundred' that took India to a commanding 318 for 2 on the opening day of the second Test in New Delhi on Friday.
Jaiswal displayed all facets of his extraordinary talent en route an unbeaten 173 off 253 balls. He had skipper Shubman Gill (20) for company when stumps were drawn for the day.
Such was Jaiswal's panache that there wasn't a single awkward boundary during his knock which was laced with 22 hits to the fence.
The control with which he dictated the proceedings also gave enough confidence to another young batter Sai Sudharsan (87), who looked good for his maiden Test hundred but fell 13 short.
In a stand of 193 for the second wicket between the two 23-year-olds, Sudharsan was able to show his true potential and also justify the Indian team management's decision to persist with him as the long-term number three in the Test line-up.
With a languid approach, Sudharsan managed to caress the ball to the boundary without any usage of brute force.
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican got one to turn and come back into him thudding onto Sudharsan's pads. But by then and the Tamil Nadu southpaw had done enough to stop conversations on whether he is running out of time.
Gill also looked assured and would be hoping to make up for the disappointment of missing a hundred in Ahmedabad.
As far as West Indies bowling was concerned, they were disciplined during the first hour and pedestrian for the next five, bowling enough loose deliveries that resulted in 43 boundaries (including one six) on Day 1.
For Jaiswal, it was his control that was laudable but he was equally disdainful on pacers and spinners.
Jayden Seales and Anderson Phillips fed him with a lot of half-volleys and over-pitched deliveries that met the fate they ought to have.
As far as the spinners were concerned, Jaiswal was either gifted half-trackers or wide and overpitched deliveries that were driven with such impetuosity that at times, fielders left the chase halfway.
A standout aspect of Jaiswal's innings was the manner in which paced each of his 50s.
If the first fifty runs (82 balls) were all about a cautious approach, there was controlled aggression between 50 to 100 (63 balls) and once he had reached the three-figure mark, he basically dictated the field placements not taking any risks but still managing to score freely between 100 to 150 (79 balls).
Among all his shots, the way he played the square cut and back cut was a treat for the fans, who had gathered at the Kotla to watch India bat.
Towards the end, the copybook cover-drive with a bent knee off Seales as he held the pose made for a perfect portrait.
In case of Sudharsan, with some good lessons in basics of cricket, most of his 12 boundaries came in the 'V'. There were some regal cover drives and on-drives.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was class personified en route his seventh hundred while Sai Sudharsan also displayed his potential as India clobbered the West Indies attack to reach a comfortable 220 for 1 at tea on the opening day of the second Test in New Delhi on Friday.
Jaiswal, who missed out on a big score during the first Test, was in no mood to let go the second opportunity with some eye-catching strokes as he remained unbeaten on 111 off 162 balls with 16 boundaries to his credit.
Sudharsan was undefeated on 71 off 132 balls with 11 boundaries in a second wicket stand of 162 runs. Kotla is a happy hunting ground for the youngster and he had scored a hundred for Tamil Nadu when he played here the last time.
In the session between lunch and tea, India plundered as many as 126 runs to leave the West Indies bowling in complete tatters.
The spinners erred in length and the pacers neither got length nor the lines correct with too many easy boundary balls.
After scoring 94 in the first session, the two left-handers were aggressive during the first hour post lunch and boundaries just flowed from their willows.
At one point, they were scoring at nearly six an over before slowing down marginally in the second hour.
The only time in the session when West Indies got anywhere close to getting a second wicket was when Justin Greaves hurried Sudharsan with a climbing ball as he closed his bat face.
The leading edge flew at a comfortable height towards short mid-wicket where Warrican grassed a dolly.
The best shot of the second session was a fierce cut by Sudharsan. He landed his bat like a sledgehammer on a widish delivery from Seals and it raced to the point boundary.
Under pressure after the Ahmedabad Test, Sudharsan didn't look in any sort of trouble against pacers or spinners as the track remained conducive for batting. It also didn't help
that the visiting attack was pedestrian as usual.
Jaiswal, who was cautious and aggressive in equal measure during the first session, showed his aggressive streak after lunch.
Both left-arm spinners -- Warrican and Khary Pierre -- bowled short balls and batters got enough time to rock on the back-foot and play on either side of the ground.
Earlier, opener KL Rahul looked in fine touch before a freak delivery from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had his number as India made a cautious start, reaching 94 for 1 at lunch on the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies, in New Delhi on Friday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (40 batting) and Sai Sudharsan (16 batting) were at the crease going into the break.
Sudharsan hit a three delectable boundaries, which included a eye-catching on-drive and a square cut.
Batting on 38, Rahul, who in the previous over had hit spinner Khary Pierre for a six over deep mid-wicket coming down the wicket, misjudged the length bowled by Warrican.
Sensing that Rahul would come down the track, he pulled the length slightly back and by the time the batter understood, he tried to dab at it only to find it turn and jump beating his outside edge. Keeper Tevin Imlach completed the stumping.
On a track that seemed good for batting, Rahul can't be blamed if he feels that he missed out on a century. A backfoot punch through covers off Jayden Seals was out of the top drawer. He had five fours and a maximum before heading back to the pavilion.
The opening pair was watchful during the first hour as it added 58 runs. Jaiswal, who was out cheaply in the only Indian innings in Ahmedabad, defended well and looked assured of his off-stump.
A steer bisecting the gully and point had class written all over it while the straight drive off Anderson Phillips was in a league of its own.
Jaiswal's innings was not ultra-aggressive as he playing himself in. He was ready to leave deliveries outside the off-stump and cut down on expansive drives. However once he was settled, he did attack the spinners and the full-blooded sweep off Roston Chase's delivery stood out.