New Delhi, Oct 12: John Campbell and Shai Hope smashed unbeaten fifties as West Indies produced their most resolute session of the ongoing Test series by reaching 173/2 in 49 overs and trailing India by 97 runs at stumps on day three of the second and final game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.

From 35/2 at tea, the final session going wicketless and in the visitors’ favour was down to a spirited response from a side that had been under pressure for much of the tour due to their lack of fight in all departments.

Campbell, who hit a career-best unbeaten 87, and Hope, who broke his drought of fifties by hitting 66 not out, stitched an unbeaten 138-run stand – the first hundred-plus stand by West Indies in Tests this year - to steer the visitors to safety after being asked to follow on by India, who had bowled them out for 248 in the first innings, thanks to Kuldeep Yadav’s 5-82 – his fifth five-wicket haul in the format.

From 35/2 at tea, Campbell and Hope rallied with grit and discipline to ensure this was the first session of the series that decisively went their way, while showing composure and application against spin and pace.

Campbell was particularly assured, mixing solid defence with timely strokes, and being proficient on the sweep, while Hope anchored the innings with calm authority and easily got his runs through cover and mid-wicket regions.

Their counter-attacking partnership not only frustrated India but also injected belief into a dressing room that has endured a tough few days. With the deficit under 100 and two set batters at the crease, West Indies will look to build on this momentum and force India to bat again in the match.

The final session began with Campbell lofting Ravindra Jadeja for six, before sweeping Washington Sundar for four, even as Hope slog-swept the latter for a maximum. Campbell managed to have a narrow escape thrice when he was undone by a drift from Sundar for lbw, but managed to survive.

The sweep became Campbell’s go-to shot – bringing it out to take boundaries off Sundar and Kuldeep, before lofting off the latter to bring up his fifty in 69 balls, also the first half-century by a West Indies batter in this series.

With the pitch still not having much demons, Hope was able to shuffle and rock back to comfortably get boundaries off Washington and Kuldeep – with the punch through covers off the wrist-spinner being the standout shot.

Immediately after the final drinks break of the day was over, India brought in Jasprit Bumrah with the hope of getting a breakthrough. But he was rendered ineffective by Hope, who flicked through mid-wicket and steered through covers for consecutive boundaries.

After Hope brought up the century of his partnership with Campbell, the right-handed batter got his fifty off 80 balls – a landmark he reached after 30 innings in the format. By the time the duo walked off as stumps arrived, the Campbell-Hope partnership was a reminder of the resolve that still burns bright in the West Indies’ line-up.

Brief Scores: India 518/5 lead West Indies 248 (Alick Athanaze 41, Shai Hope 36; Kuldeep Yadav 5-82, Ravindra Jadeja 3-46) and 173/2 (f/o) (John Campbell 87 not out, Shai Hope 66 not out; Washington Sundar 1-44, Mohammed Siraj 1-10) by 97 runs.

(IANS)

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