IND vs WI, Day 3 Match Report: A spirited fightback from John Campbell and Shai Hope gave West Indies a glimmer of hope after being forced to follow on against a dominant Indian side on Day 3 of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Trailing by 270 runs after their first innings collapse, the visitors ended the day at 173/2, with Campbell (87*) and Hope (66*) unbeaten, trimming India’s lead down to 97 runs.
The day began firmly in India’s control, but by stumps, it was Campbell and Hope who had rewritten the script – at least temporarily with grit, flair, and determination.
That’s stumps on Day 3️⃣!
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2025
A wicket each for Mohd. Siraj and Washington Sundar 👍
West Indies trail #TeamIndia by 9️⃣7️⃣ runs (f/o)
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/GYLslRzj4G#INDvWI | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/UVnrWKJ3Zb
India in Command, Kuldeep the Destroyer
The day began with the West Indies resuming on 140/4 in their first innings, hoping to bat long and steady. But it was India’s spinners – particularly Kuldeep Yadav, who had other plans.
Kuldeep ran through the lower order, finishing with a brilliant 5/82, his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests. Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 3/46, while Bumrah and Siraj took a wicket apiece. From 140/4, West Indies folded for 248 in 81.5 overs, offering little resistance except for brief stands involving Khary Pierre (23) and Anderson Phillip (24).
This collapse came after Shubman Gill’s India had posted a mammoth 518/5 declared in their first innings, built on the back of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s patient 175 and Gill’s fluent unbeaten 129, his fifth century of the year.
Forced to Follow-On, WI Finds Their Backbone
Trailing by 270 runs, Roston Chase’s West Indies side was sent back into bat and soon found themselves in early trouble once again at 35/2. However, what followed was West Indies’ best partnership of the series – and their best of 2025 so far.
Campbell, who had shown glimpses of form in earlier innings, came out with intent, launching Ravindra Jadeja for a six to start the final session. Partner Shai Hope, under pressure to perform after a long lean patch in Test cricket, followed suit with his own six off Washington Sundar. From there, the duo batted with positive intent, mixing caution with calculated aggression.
Campbell was especially commanding, taking on the Indian spinners with ease – 15 runs came off a single Kuldeep over – as he reached his fifty in 69 balls, with 6 fours and 2 sixes. Hope played a more measured hand, finally breaking his 31-innings drought in Test cricket by scoring his first half-century since January 2019, off 80 balls.
A Record Stand & A Ray of Hope
By the time the pair brought up their 100-run stand in 149 balls, the mood in the Windies camp had lifted. Their unbeaten 138-run partnership became West Indies’ highest for any wicket in seven Tests this year, surpassing even the 10th-wicket stand between Motie and Warrican earlier in 2025.
Their resistance also ensured India didn’t pick up a single wicket in the final session – a rare occurrence given the hosts’ bowling dominance throughout the series.
India Still Ahead, But Windies Show Fight
Despite West Indies still trailing by 97 runs, the Campbell-Hope stand has added context and character to a match that seemed headed for a straightforward Indian victory. India still holds the upper hand, with a potent bowling attack and a massive first-innings cushion, but the fight shown by the Caribbean duo has given fans something to cheer for.
Recap of India’s Dominance With the Bat
India’s first innings was a display of top-order mastery:
- Jaiswal (175 off 258) anchored the innings with class.
- Sai Sudharsan (87) impressed with maturity beyond his years.
- Gill (129)* continued his golden run with his fifth ton of 2025.
- Contributions from Nitish Reddy (43) and Dhruv Jurel (44) powered India to a massive 518/5 before declaring.
What to Expect on Day 4?
India will come back fresh, with the aim to wrap up the West Indies innings quickly and push for a series win. But if Campbell and Hope can survive the first hour and continue their counterattack, we could be in for an unexpected twist.
Also Read: Smriti Mandhana scripts history – Becomes first woman to score 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year
