First In 23 Years! West Indies Opener John Campbell Scripts History With Sensational Hundred

Hyderabad: In a series where India has been a dominating force, the West Indies showed some resistance on Day 3 and Day 4 of the second Test of the series. West Indies opener John Campbell played a knock of 115 runs on the fourth day of the match and stitched a crucial partnership with Shai Hope after India enforced a follow-on on the West Indies.

His innings of 115 runs from 199 deliveries was laced with 12 boundaries and three sixes was ended by Ravindra Jadeja in the 64th over. His century was received with a standing ovation from the team camp, appreciating his resilience and effort in the middle after India enforced follow-on on the West Indies after bundling them out on 248.

At the time of his dismissal, the West Indies were 212/3, with Roston Chase walking in the middle to bat.

Campbell breaks 23-year-old record

Campbell shattered a 23-year-old record of Wavell Hinds to become the first West Indies Test opener to score a Test hundred in India in 23 years. Hinds scored a ton at Eden Gardens in 2002. Campbell has also become the first West Indies opener to score a Test century against India since Daren Ganga’s 135 in Basseterre in 2006. He also joined the elite list of batters scoring their maiden Test hundred in Delhi, a group which includes legends like Viv Richards and Kapil Dev.

His milestone also adds him to the illustrious list of West Indies batters to reach their maiden Test hundred with a six, along with Collins King, Robert Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, and Shane Dowrich. Also, he took 48 innings to reach the maiden Test hundred as a West Indies opener, which is only second behind Trevor Goddard’s 58 amongst the West Indies openers.

The Indian team struggled to break the partnership for much of the session, but once they got rid of Shai Hope, the team suffered a collapse subsequently.