Live Progress on Day 2: Rahul on the cusp of 11th Test hundred
India sit at 212 for 3 after 65 overs on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test against West Indies in Ahmedabad, with KL Rahul in the nineties and eyeing a landmark home hundred—the kind of milestone that can shape a series and set up a white‑hot run in the World Test Championship cycle. The mood around the ground mirrors the sparse crowds, a reflection of scheduling choices and the holiday season, but the action on the field remains intense as India push to convert a strong position into a commanding lead.
Rahul has been in superb form in 2025-27 World Test Championship cricket, and a home hundred would be a personal milestone as well as a statement of consistency. Early in the day he was steady at the crease, while his captain Shubman Gill rode the chase for a time before falling to Roston Chase in a rare moment of misfortune for the Indian dressing room. Gill’s dismissal—a top‑edge off Chase following an around‑the‑wicket plan to exploit rough patches created by swing bowler Jayden Seales—was a reminder that Test cricket in Ahmedabad is a game of small margins and subtle adjustments.
Rahul’s milestone in sight: what a 11th hundred would mean
Moving into the 90s, Rahul’s approach has blended patience with controlled aggression. This is not merely about a personal record; it’s about a batsman finding rhythm in familiar conditions and reaffirming his role as a backbone of India’s order. A home hundred would also send a message to opposition teams that Rahul is capable of turning promising starts into substantial scores, a trait India often seeks from its top order as the series progresses.
Day 2 developments: Gill’s wicket and the West Indies’ bowling plan
Live updates show a disciplined West Indies attack sticking to a clean line and length, testing India with both pace and subtle movement. The fielding side’s approach has been to capitalise on the rough patches on the surface, while Seales and his colleagues have shown good control on both edges. The key moment on the day came when Gill, who had anchored India’s innings after the early wobble, fell to a Chase delivery that drifted from the around‑the‑wicket angle and kept low enough to beat the bat. The wicket underlined that while India enjoyed a lead, there was no room for complacency as the old ball offered unexpected assistance to the bowlers.
Bowling tactics and pitch notes: what the surface is offering
Ahmedabad’s surface is showing signs of reverse swing as the ball ages, a dynamic that could become more influential as the day progresses. The pace trio of the Windies has adapted to the bounce, using the traditional round-the-wicket attack to target Rahul and his partner at the crease. For batters, patience remains the order of the day, with partnerships built on the back of careful shot selection and the ability to leave the ball when the ball is moving away from off stump. The ongoing chess match between bat and ball will shape how India capitalises on the advantage as the innings unfolds.
Scheduling, crowds, and the broader questions
Beyond the boundary, questions have circulated about scheduling and the absence of a loud crowd, with Thursday starts and holiday-season timing cited as factors influencing atmosphere and perhaps even the pace of the series. While such concerns sit outside the immediate cricketing contest, they colour the broader narrative around this Test and the way fans engage with the sport in a crowded calendar.
What to expect on Day 3
As Rahul edges closer to a potential hundred, India will look to convert their advantage into a sizable first-innings total. A solid partnership between Rahul and his partner could push India beyond the 250-mark and set a platform for the bowlers. For West Indies, the aim will be to rein in the runs, keep a lid on the scoring rate, and strike at crucial moments to keep India from running away with the match. Day 3 could prove decisive in determining how the rest of the series unfolds.
