Bravo stars as Windies take control

India staged a fightback in the evening session with Varun Aaron and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leading the attack [AFP]

Darren Bravo hit a stylish 166 as West Indies reached 575-9 against India on the second day of the third and final Test at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

Bravo, beginning to make the comparisons to cousin Brian Lara worthy, struck his second consecutive century as the top six in the batting line-up all made at least half-centuries.

Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell added 86 and 81 respectively, and at stumps, Fidel Edwards was on 7 and Devendra Bishoo on 2 as West Indies frustrated India’s bid to whitewash the series 3-0.

In form

Bravo, who had scored 136 in the second innings of the previous Test and 195 against Bangladesh at Mirpur last month, made the most of the perfect batting conditions to continue a superb run that has seen him notch three centuries in his last four Tests.

Resuming at 57 in an overnight total of 267-2, Bravo began the day with attacking intent, dispatching pace bowler Varun Aaron’s first two deliveries of the morning to the fence. The first went past mid-off and the second straight down the ground.

Bravo reached his century with a square-drive off Ravichandran Ashwin and also passed 1,000 test runs during an innings that included 17 fours off 284 balls.

Bravo went for an expansive drive only to edge to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and give debutant pace bowler Aaron his first of three wickets after batting close to five hours. He was involved in century partnerships with overnight partner Edwards, and another left-hander, Powell.

Second day scorecard

West Indies first innings (o’night 267-2) A Barath c Dhoni b Ashwin 62 K Brathwaite c Kohli b Ashwin 68 K Edwards c Dhoni b Sharma 86 D Bravo c Dhoni b Aaron 166 K Powell c Dhoni b Ojha 81 M Samuels c Dravid b Ashwin 61 C Baugh b Aaron 4 D Sammy c Dhoni b Aaron 3 R Rampaul c Kohli b Ashwin 10 F Edwards not out 7 D Bishoo not out 2 Extras 25 Total (9 wickets; 181 overs) 575 Fall of wickets: 1-137 2-150 3-314 4-474 5-518 6-524 7-540 8-563 9-566

Edwards scored 21 more runs in the morning session, including three fours, before a lovely away-going delivery from pace bowler Ishant Sharma brought an end to his attractive innings within sight of a century.

He edged the ball to Dhoni, who took five catches by the end of the day.

Edwards struck 13 fours off 165 balls and batted for 208 minutes.

Lucrative partnership

The third-wicket partnership between Edwards and Bravo was worth 164 runs and came off 269 deliveries.

Powell, a replacement for injured batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, struck nine fours off 149 balls before a rash shot brought about the end of the brisk 160-run, fourth-wicket stand.

Powell slashed at a delivery from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and was caught behind by Dhoni after the partnership forced Dhoni to rotate his bowlers in a desperate bid for breakthroughs, including using part-timers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.

Marlon Samuels also made a quick 61 with nine fours as India were surprised to see their unfancied opposition bat out a full two days after struggling in the opening two Tests.

India won the opening Test in New Delhi by five wickets and the second in Kolkata by an innings and 15 runs.