WI vs IND 1st Test: Rahane, Vihari help India set Windies 419 runs target

Rahane (102) and Vihari (93) raised a 135-run partnership for the fifth wicket after India lost skipper Virat Kohli early during the fourth day's play.

Antigua: Ajinkya Rahane scored his first Test century in two years but Hanuma Vihari squandered the opportunity to get his maiden ton as India set West Indies a stiff 419-run target to win the series-opener, here on Sunday.

Rahane (102) and Vihari (93) raised a 135-run partnership for the fifth wicket after India lost skipper Virat Kohli early during the fourth day's play.

Rahane and Vihari stitched 135-run partnership for the fifth wicket

Kohli's scalp did not help West Indies much as Rahane and Vihari gradually took the game away from the hosts with their confident yet contrasting batting.

The moment Vihari miscued a pull which landed in the gloves of wicket-keeper Shai Hope, India declared their second innings at 343 for seven with an overall lead of 418.

It was Rahane's first Test hundred since his 132 against Sri Lanka in August 2017 while Vihari threw away a golden opportunity to get his maiden hundred in only his fifth match.

Rahane's patient knock came off 242 balls with just five shots to the fence but Vihari paced his innings nicely. The Hyderabad batsman hit 10 fours and a six in his 128-ball knock with an impressive strike rate of 72.65.

However, in an attempt to get some quick runs, he pulled Holder but could not connect the ball and the under-edge was easily taken by Hope.

Rahane and Vihari starred for Team India

Before that Rahane too fell while trying to score quickly, getting caught by Holder off Shannon Gabriel.

Off-spinner Roston Chase (4/132) was the most successful bowler for the hosts as he got rid of Rishabh Pant (7) after dismissing Kohli (51).

India lost Kohli in the opening session of the fourth day when his leading-edge off Chase flew to John Campbell, who took the catch on the second attempt.

That ended the fourth-wicket partnership between Kohli and Rahane that yielded 106 runs for India.

The other overnight batsman Rahane was joined by Vihari, who easily worked the ball around in gaps to keep the scoreboard ticking.

As soon as the new ball was available, pacers Kemar Roach and Gabriel operated in tandem but before that West Indies part-timers had bowled 41 overs in this innings alone.

While Roach and Gabriel bowled a few testing deliveries, it largely remained an untroubled stay for both Rahane and Vihari.