KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja slammed three terrific hundreds to put India in the driver's seat in the first Test against the beleaguered West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Rahul struck his 11th Test hundred and second century in India to provide the home team a firm foundation to bat the Windies out of the Test.
Later, Jurel's maiden Test hundred and Jadeja's eminently watchable sixth ton ensured India finished day two at 448/5 in 128 overs with a huge and potential match-winning lead of 286 runs.
Jadeja was batting on 104 and Washington Sundar was accompanying him on nine at stumps.
Earlier, Rahul and Gill started the day in fluent fashion to kickstart India's charge. The former played some classical strokes to get India going.
The Karnataka batter raced to 76 in quick time with 10 fours while skipper Shubman Gill was giving him able company at 44 as India consolidated their position.
India lost the wicket of Gill after he struck a fine half-century holing out to Justin Greaves off the bowling of West Indies captain Roston Chase.
With wicket-keeper batsman Dhruv Jurel joining Rahul, India kept chugging along. Rahul moved into the 90s closing in on a much deserved hundred.
In the 65th over of the Indian innings, Rahul notched up his 11th Test hundred and his second on home soil. The ton came off 190 balls and 179 minutes comprising 12 fours. It was a testament to Rahul's patience and perseverance, two qualities supremely essential to succeed in batting in the longest format of the game.
India went into lunch having added 97 runs to their overnight score of 121, reaching 218/3 in 67 overs. Rahul was batting on 100 and Jurel holding fort at the other end on 14.
On resumption, India lost the wicket of Rahul in the very first over as he holed out to Justin Greaves at covers.soon after lunch in the very first over. The Karnataka batter departed for exactly 100. It was a disappointing end to Rahul's innings as he looked set to slam a double hundred against the West Indies attack which didn't bother him much.
India vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja, who joined him in the middle was in an aggressive mood. The southpaw was batting on 26 with three fours and two sixes and going at a healthy strike rate of 66 odd at one stage.
Meanwhile, Jurel brought up his half-century in style and was batting with assurance and fluency cracking six fours and two sixes as he reached 62. India were 304/4 in 89 overs at that stage.
Jadeja, on the other hand, was going strong on 41 with three fours and as many sixes looking to up the ante and change the tempo of the game.
The Saurashtra batter brought up his fifty in 75 balls with three fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 66. India took tea at 326/4 in 96 overs with Jurel at 68 and Jadeja on 50.
In the post-tea session, Jurel and Jadeja further solidified India's position as the partnership reached 124 runs while the home side's lead swelled to 178 runs. India's 350 came up in 107.5 overs and 463 minutes.
Thereafter, the duo reached the milestone 150-run partnership and India's lead also topped the 200-run mark as the West Indies were under the pump.
The second new ball was taken after the 97th over. However, the West Indies were being made to toil hard by the Indian batters who were playing with purpose mixing aggression with dourness.
Jurel struck a fantastic hundred in 246 minutes and 190 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. He was finally out for 125 to Khary Pierre holing out to Shai Hope after having done all the damage.
Jadeja's hundred, his sixth in Tests, came up in the 126th over with his knock coming off 168 balls and 243 minutes comprising six fours and five sixes that neutralised the West Indies bowling attack.
