JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
India vs West Indies: Rahkeem Cornwall creates unique record in Test cricket
Cornwall broke the previous record held by Australia's Warwick Armstrong who weighed 133-139 kgs.
The second and the final test between India and West Indies got underway on Friday, with India been put to bat first by West Indies skipper Jason Holder. Thanks to half centuries by opener Mayank Agarwal and skipper Virat Kohli India finished day 1 at 264/5. Jason Holder picked up three wickets to keep the visitors in check. The match also witnessed the Windies handing a debut to Rahkeem Cornwall.
The all-rounder who weighs 140 kilograms, became the heaviest man to play Test cricket on Friday. Cornwall broke the previous record held by Australia's Warwick Armstrong who weighed 133-139 kgs. Cornwall, an off-spinner by skill, has a career tally of over 260 scalps at a healthy average of 23.9 in the four-day domestic competitions in recent years.
The six feet six inches giant is an effective lower-order batsman too. With the help of his tall frame, the 26-year-old is capable of hitting the ball with brute force. The off-spinning all-rounder did not play in the first Test in Antigua when the West Indies were crushed by 318 runs inside four days.
During India's warm-up game on their 2016 tour of the West Indies, Cornwall claimed a five-wicket haul. His prized scalps included Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. The West Indies won the toss and invited India to bat in the second Test. Skipper Jason Holder said that they hope to exploit the moisture on the green wicket. Cornwall came in for medium-pacer Miguel Cummins while wicketkeeper-batsman Jahmar Hamilton became the first cricketer from the US Virgin Islands to play at senior level for the West Indies. He replaced Shai Hope, who failed a late fitness Test.
"There is a bit of moisture here. So we will try to get into India's middle-order early. We have a couple of changes. We have to focus on the roles and not the results. We have to be a lot more disciplined. The last time we played here Roston Chase got a fifer," said Holder.
India, on the other hand, did not tinker with their winning combination of the first Test in Antigua. Virat Kohli said that the first session could be challenging just like it was in Antigua.
"But the advantage of batting first is you have runs on the board and then you can put pressure on the opposition from thereon. That is exactly what we did in the last game even though they had a couple of partnerships," Kohli said.
