Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh struck flamboyant half-centuries, helping India endure a rocky start to the first Test against West Indies.
Raina top-scored with 82, and Harbhajan scored 70, as India were dismissed for 246. Ishant Sharma then set West Indies back with the scalp of Lendl Simmons for three, as the hosts reached 34 for one at stumps.
Raina and Harbhajan shared a seventh-wicket stand of 146 after the visitors plummeted to 85 for six.
Fidel Edwards, making his international return after a two-year injury layoff, was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with four for 56.
Raina, who had been guilty of a succession of ill-advised strokes during the preceding One-Day Internationals (ODI) relished the chance to play a long innings.
“It’s not easy to score runs in Test matches,” he said. “You have to spend time and respect your opponents. I hadn’t got runs in the final three ODIs, so I was determined to make up for it.”
Meanwhile, Edwards said he was thrilled about making his international comeback, terming his performance as “a good start”.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2011.
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