India’s dominant bowling attack faced an unexpected setback on Day 4 of the Delhi Test as the West Indies lower order produced a remarkable fightback, creating history in the process and leaving Indian bowlers frustrated for the first time in the series.
Record-Breaking Last Wicket Partnership
The visitors achieved something special that hadn’t been accomplished in over four decades. Justin Greaves (50 off 85 balls)* and Jayden Seales (32 off 67 balls) stitched together a defiant 79-run partnership for the 10th wicket – the first time in 42 years that a West Indies last-wicket pair had managed such a strong stand on Indian soil.
The previous record dated back to the 1983 Ahmedabad Test, when Winston Davis and Jeff Dujon added 51 runs for the final wicket. Greaves and Seales not only broke this long-standing record but did so with remarkable composure under pressure.
India’s Rare Bowling Struggle
This performance marked several concerning milestones for the Indian bowling unit:
Historical Context
- First time since 2013 that a foreign team scored over 350 runs in the second innings of a Test match in India
- West Indies’ highest second-innings total against India since 2011
- Their best-ever 10th-wicket partnership against the hosts
Final Figures
The resilient partnership took West Indies from a precarious 311/9 to a respectable 390 all out, adding crucial runs that transformed the match dynamics.
Bowling Performance Analysis
Despite the frustrating final-wicket stand, Indian bowlers maintained their overall dominance:
| Bowler | Wickets | Figures |
|---|---|---|
| Kuldeep Yadav | 3 | 3/104 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 3 | 3/44 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 2 | 2/43 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 1 | – |
| Washington Sundar | 1 | – |
Chase Setup
Despite the lower-order heroics, West Indies could only set a modest target of 121 runs for India. The home team remained strong favorites with their experienced batting lineup featuring:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill (openers in good form)
- KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan (reliable middle order)
Records and Milestones
West Indies Achievements
- Fifth-highest 10th-wicket partnership in West Indies Test cricket history
- First time since January 2023 that West Indies batted 80+ overs in both innings of a Test
- John Campbell’s maiden Test century in Delhi (17th batter to achieve this feat at the venue)
Match Context
This was the first time since 2011 that an India vs West Indies Test match extended to the fifth day, highlighting the competitive nature of the contest despite India’s eventual dominance.
Final Outcome
While the last-wicket stand provided temporary frustration, India ultimately chased down the target comfortably with KL Rahul’s unbeaten 58 guiding them to a seven-wicket victory and a 2-0 series sweep.
