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West Indies opener John Campbell, left, and Shai Hope give the fist touch on the third day of the second Test match between India and West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India, on October 12. AP PHOTO – AP

DELHI: John Campbell and Shai Hope both scored unbeaten half centuries as the West Indies batsmen finally showed some grit against India in the second Test here, on October 12.

Campbell finished on 87 not out, while Hope ended the day on 66, to save the West Indies from what seemed like certain defeat against the hosts on day three at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

After being dismissed for 248 runs in their first innings and being asked to follow on by 270 runs, the West Indies were staring down the barrel of yet another huge defeat inside three days when they slumped to 35/2 at tea in their second innings.

But Campbell and Hope scored the first two half centuries for the visitors in the series, during an unbroken partnership of 138 for the third wicket, which saw them to 173/2 at the close of play.

And while the visitors still need 97 more runs to make India bat again, their effort was a welcomed sight for West Indies fans, who at one point were expecting the worse following another inept batting performance from their side in the first innings and beginning of the second innings.

Hope was also at the crease at the start of play, with the West Indies 140/4 in their first innings and in dire need of a huge partnership to get them as close to India’s mammoth first innings total of 518/5 declared.

It was not to be, however, as Hope only added five runs to his overnight total before being bowled for 36 by a superb delivery from spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

And when Yadav also claimed the wicket of the other overnight batter, Tevin Imlach leg before for 21, the West Indies were in real trouble at 163/6.

It looked as though they would be dismissed inside 200 when Yadav also trapped Justin Greaves lbw and Jomel Warrican lost his middle stump to Mohammed Siraj to leave them 175/8. But Khary Pierre and Anderson Phillip frustrated India during a stand of 46 that took the West Indies past the lunch interval.

Jasprit Bumrah broke the partnership by bowling Pierre for 23 and Yadav claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in Test matches by dismissing last man Jayden Seales for 13 to wrap up the innings and give India a healthy first innings lead.

Phillip ended unbeaten on 24 off 93 balls.

Yadav starred for India with figures of 5/82, while Ravendra Jadeja took 3/46.

India’s decision to enforce the follow-on seemed like a good one when Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s mistimed pull off Siraj looped into the air for Shubman Gill to take a diving catch at mid-wicket with only 17 runs on the board.

And after Alick Athanaze was bowled by an unplayable delivery from Washington Sundar to send the Windies to tea at 35/2, another early victory for the home side seemed on the cards.

But opener Campbell and Hope defied India’s bowlers with aggressive stroke play, mixed with solid defence.

When Campbell was on 31, he was given out lbw off the bowling of Sundar, but his review showed that the ball touched his glove before striking his pad.

He also survived two other close lbw calls against the same bowler, only due to the umpire’s on field call.

Apart from that, Campbell was fluent, and he brought up the Windies’ first half-century of the tour by hitting Yadav for a six and a four.

Hope followed not too long after, ending his run of 31 consecutive innings without a Test half-century by driving Jadeja to deep point for a single.

The pair then saw off India’s attack in the latter stages to put West Indies in a good position to make their opponents bat again.

Campbell has so far faced 145 deliveries and struck nine fours and two sixes, while Hope has hit eight fours and two sixes in the 103 balls he’s faced. CMC