Windies openers removed by Ashwin after hitting fifties

MUMBAI: Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed two wickets in four overs before the West Indies reached 161-2 at tea in their first innings on the opening day of the third and final Test against India on Tuesday.

The off-spinner removed well-set Kraigg Brathwaite (68) and Adrian Barath (62) after the openers had added 137 runs for the opening wicket at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Kirk Edwards was unbeaten on 13 at the break and Darren Bravo was on four.

India had to wait for more than three hours for their first success on a good batting track, with Ashwin having Barath caught by wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Barath, who scored 62 in the last Test in Kolkata, hit eight fours in his second successive Test half-century.

Ashwin struck again when he removed Brathwaite, with Virat Kohli holding a bat-pad catch at forward short-leg. Brathwaite cracked eight fours in his third Test half-century.

Brathwaite, who turns 19 next month, was dropped on 57 by Venkatsai Laxman at backward short-leg off Ashwin, but failed to make the most of his second chance.

The West Indies openers batted patiently in the two-hour morning session, with Barath playing some handsome shots especially against pacemen Varun Aaron and Ishant Sharma in the opening hour.

Barath fluently drove debutant Aaron through the covers and turned him to fine-leg for fours before cover-driving Sharma for another boundary. He continued to punish loose deliveries, cutting and driving Ashwin for two fours in an over.

The hosts lead 2-0 in the series after winning the opening Test in New Delhi by five wickets and the second match in Kolkata by an innings and 15 runs.

The West Indies earlier suffered a setback when in-form batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was ruled out of the Test due to a calf injury. He was replaced by Kieran Powell.

The tourists also brought in paceman Ravi Rampaul in place of Kemar Roach.

India made two changes from the side that played in the last Test, replacing paceman Umesh Yadav and all-rounder Yuvraj Singh with Aaron and middle-order batsman Kohli. (AFP)