Pant’s in Rish to get ton

RISHABH PANT remained on course for a century as India took control of the second Test against West Indies in Hyderabad. The hosts dominated the morning session, needing only 6.4 overs to claim the last three wickets as the tourists folded for 311. Teenage opener Prithvi Shaw (below) led India’s strong reply with a rapid

70 but West Indies claimed three wickets after lunch. Temperamentally poles apart, a cavalier Pant and a composed Ajinkya Rahane combined well in a 146-run partnership to guide India to

308-4 at the close of play. Pant was just

15 runs short of the magical 100 mark, with Rahane 10 runs behind him.

Earlier, Roston Chase completed his fourth Test ton before Umesh Yadav, with a career-best 6-88, dismissed him for 106. Shaw, 18, smashed 134 in his debut in the win in Rajkot last week and again scored with ease.

He played an upper cut off a rising Shannon Gabriel delivery for a six and hit spinner Jomel Warrican for three successive boundaries in his 39-ball fifty. Warrican denied Shaw his second straight century, tempting the batsman into a drive straight to Shimron Hetmyer at extra cover. But Pant and Rahane dashed whatever hopes West Indies had of taking a first-innings lead. Their poor catching did not help their cause. Shaw was on 44 when Shai Hope dropped him at slip while substitute Jahmar Hamilton spilled Pant when he was on 24.