The Test Updates

India are struggling to take the match against West Indies by storm in their quest to win their third ever whitewash in their history. Dwayne Bravo continued his blistering form in batting by scoring a century in perfect fashion with patience and elegance to reach West Indies to their 575/9.

West Indies 575 for 9 (Bravo 166, Edwards 86, Powell 81, Samuels 61, Ashwin 4-154) v India

Darren Bravo carved his way to 3 centuries in his last 4 Tests with the support of Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell who missed the opportunities to score well deserved centuries.

Resuming with 245/2 and with the inevitability of more runs being scored for a hungry total, Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo got to work in a dull and lacklustre pitch for the bowlers which wasn't offering much to the Indian fast bowlers. Varun Aaron once tried a bouncer but was easily pulled to mid-off by Edwards to show even the unpredictability of the bowlers can become predictable with the pitch.

Edwards batted more to the on-side and shown his driving skills towards another fast bowler, Ishant Sharma who was bowling consistent maidens. Yet, this was the bowler who dismissed Edwards by a short ball being edged from a confident pull shot but was misjudged to give a thick edge to Dhoni to reward the conservativeness of Ishant Sharma's early spell. Edwards was gutted to be so closed to a century

Kieran Powell however started shakingly while Bravo got used to the pitch and was playing a bit aggressively by taking on the spin and pace bowlers with fluent drives. India were desperate by setting defensive fields and using part-time bowlers like Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. But with such high economy rates and runs conceded by them, this plan was failing for India.

The off-spin plan by bowling Pragyan Ojha didn't work to get the 2 out once they got going with each one lofting Ojha to extra cover and sweep several times. Bravo reached his century with a little purposeful, back-foot nick. Bravo had his moment though when he nicked the ball off Ishant Sharma's bowling to leg slip and wicket keeper to rush away for four, but he never lost his rhythm.

Once Kieran Powell and Bravo was dismissed after being determined to get their century and double-century but went a step further by being caught adventurous, the batting fell apart after tea with Samuels being left to fend on hs own with his 61. The tailenders found it difficult to negotiate the high bounce and the awkwardness with the spin to find themselves to 575/9 with declaration imminent at the start of day 3's play.