“[Conditions were] demanding. I thought the initial session – the ball was exhibiting movement. Kemar Roach and [Jason] Holder bowled exceptionally. It wasn’t effortless – there was a lot of moisture and the ball was exhibiting movement,” Agarwal expressed at the press conference subsequently.
He also commended Holder, who concluded the day with three wickets – those of himself, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. “I think Holder is bowling outstanding areas, he is not giving you an inch. He is there persisting in those areas, persisting on length and short of length. And you know he doesn’t offer free deliveries for you to score off of,” he mentioned.
“So, the pressure is always there even if you defend him off – the first spell he bowled six-seven overs in that he’s given three or four maidens, so as a batsman you know you’re not getting much out of him.”
“Rakheem is very, very [consistent], he forms good clusters and he keeps bowling those areas, keeps bowling those areas,” Agarwal commented. “I thought it wasn’t very easy to score off him. We took our time and it was very important for Virat and me to actually get a partnership going and it was important that one of us went on to score big.
“He definitely gets a lot more bounce compared to many other spinners. He just keeps hitting those lengths.”
Discussing his 69-run partnership with Kohli, Agarwal stated the captain had batted exquisitely to “counteract the time before lunch and then to come out after lunch with that kind of positivity was amazing – he gets a lot of intensity when he comes to bat”.
The conditions got progressively better as the day progressed and the sun beat down, Agarwal said. “I can say it got a little better to bat on after the first session – the wicket got a lot harder as the sun beat down – the wicket lost some of its moisture. It just kept getting a little better to bat on, but I think credit must be given to the West Indian bowlers, especially Roach and Holder – they kept coming and kept coming and kept bowling tight lines.”
India ended the day at 264 for 5 with Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant in the middle. Agarwal expressed he was content with the team’s performance and the aim now would be to “accumulate as many runs as possible”. “We are in a great position. To have just lost five wickets on a track like that was a commendable endeavor from our side.”
