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India were off to a disastrous start in the third Test against West Indies, losing their top three wickets for just 35 runs on the opening day here today when rains gave them a breather.
Shiv Sunder Das, Wasim Jaffer and Sachin Tendulkar were back in the pavilion with just 27 runs on the board after West Indies skipper Carl Hooper put the Indians in to bat.
Rahul Dravid was batting on 17 and skipper Sourav Ganguly on five when rains forced play to be stopped one hour into the morning session and an early lunch was taken.
India tried their third opening combination in as many matches but their agony at the top of the order continued. Das was clean bowled off the first delivery of the match from Mervyn Dillon.
Das’ new partner Wasim Jaffer steered Cameron Cuffy for a streaky boundary from the other end before hitting two classy cover-driven fours but his innings too was short-lived.
He edged a Dillon delivery to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs who replaced Junior Murray as one of the two West Indian changes in this match. The other change, fast bowler Pedro Collins who came in for Marlon Black, gave India the biggest shock when he had Tendulkar edge his second delivery to Jacobs.
This was the first time in Tendulkar’s 94-Test career that he has failed to score in two successive innings. Dravid looked in good touch and he punched Dillon down the ground for a boundary but then had a streaky four past the fourth slip.
India were 58 for five when rains interrupted play for the second time. Skipper Sourav Ganguly was batting on 24 while Ajay Ratra was on one. Rahul Dravid was run out for 17 and V V S Laxman was clean bowled by Cameron Cuffy for one after India resumed at 35 for three in the post-lunch session.
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