St Lucia: Centuries by Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif enabled India to declare and finish the second day of the second test against the West Indies in firm control on Sunday. India declared their first innings on 588 for eight soon after tea and reduced the West Indies to 65 for three at stumps.
Dravid scored 146 and Kaif made 148 not out, his maiden test century and highest first-class score.
The West Indies needed 389 to avoid the follow-on, but were rocked by a double strike by Munaf Patel and spinner Anil Kumble then removed Brian Lara for seven. Opener Chris Gayle was the one batsman to stand firm, finishing the day on 34 not out. Patel struck shortly after the players returned from a six-minute rain delay, trapping Daren Ganga (16) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (0) both lbw with successive balls. Captain Lara began aggressively against the seamers, but Kumble trapped him, also lbw, with his eighth delivery.
Centuries by opener Virender Sehwag (180), Dravid and Kaif made up the bulk of India's highest total in the Caribbean, beating the 521 for six declared in the previous drawn test in St John's, Antigua. Left-arm seamer Pedro Collins was the pick of the West Indian bowlers, taking all four wickets to fall on the first day and finishing with four for 116 in 28 overs.
The 25-year-old Kaif reached his century seven overs before the umpires took the players off the field half-an-hour into the second session for bad light.
Play resumed 10 minutes later and Mahendra Dhoni (9) immediately gifted his wicket, steering a loose drive to point off Ian Bradshaw's first ball after the delay.
Despite being at the crease for over four hours and India surely contemplating a declaration, Kaif batted with caution in the second session, during which the visitors lost a second wicket when Irfan Pathan (19) limply spooned off-spinner Gayle to cover point for Ganga's second catch.
Dravid's 23rd test century boosted India as they piled on the runs on the second morning before the Indian captain lost his wicket to an ugly stroke off part-time leg-spinner Sarwan, chipping a wide long-hop to Lara at backward point.
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