Sehwag stars for India

Virender Sehwag got India off to a flying start © Getty Images

Virender Sehwag struck a brilliant century as India claimed the first-day honours in the second Test against West Indies in St Lucia.

Sehwag made the ninth fastest century in Test history before being dismissed for 180, while captain Rahul Dravid weighed in with an unbeaten 95 as India closed on a dominant 361 for four.

Pedro Collins was one of the few accomplished performers on a humbling day for West Indies, the fast bowler taking all four India wickets to fall on his return to the side.

Effective though Collins was, the star of the show at the Beausejour Stadium was undoubtedly Sehwag.

He launched into the West Indies bowlers straight from the off and at one point looked set to become only the fifth player to score a hundred before lunch on the first day of a Test.

But, despite charging down the pitch to the last ball of the morning session and only just avoiding being run out as he scampered a risky single, the opener had to be content to lunch on 99 not out.

He reached three figures soon after the interval, though, off only 78 balls.

The 27-year-old continued to torment the hosts and a double century looked on the cards before his assault on the home attack came to an end midway through the evening session when he was caught and bowled by Collins, who took the catch at the second attempt.

Sehwag had faced 190 deliveries in what was his 12th Test hundred, clubbing 20 fours and two sixes along the way.

He lost opening partner Wasim Jaffer for 43 when he was caught by Dwayne Bravo off Collins - playing his first Test match since last April - with the score on 159.

VVS Laxman then lasted just 10 balls before he too fell to the impressive Collins, caught by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin for a duck.

That brought Dravid to the crease, and after suffering a tricky start to his innings, he showed all his customary determination and skill to put on 139 runs with Sehwag for the third wicket.

Sehwag’s departure with the score on 300 ended that stand and the Windies were celebrating a double breakthrough soon after when Yuvraj Singh was bowled by Collins for two.

But Dravid and Mohammad Kaif ensured there were no more setbacks for the tourists before the end with an unbroken stand of 55.

Kaif finished the day unbeaten on 18 while skipper Dravid, delighted with proceedings after winning the toss and choosing to bat, needed just five more to collect his 23rd Test hundred.

India chose to make just one change to the side which came so close to winning the first Test, with Irfan Pathan coming in for the injured Sri Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh missing out again.

West Indies brought Collins back in place of his injured half-brother Fidel Edwards, while pace bowler Jerome Taylor played at the expense of spinner Dave Mohammed.

The two sides shared a nail-biting draw in the first game of the four-Test series at the Antigua Recreation Ground.