Live Cricket Score of India vs West Indies, 3rd Test, Day 1 at Gros Islet, St Lucia

A spirited fightback by West Indies in the second Test in Kingston, Jamaica ensured that the series is alive as the teams head into the third Test at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia. With a 1-0 lead, India still remain the favourites and will be eager to clinch the series 2-0, but the hosts will go in with the belief that that can conjure something special like the lower-order, led by Roston Chase, did to secure a draw in the second Test.

As far as the team combinations are concerned, West Indies skipper Jason Holder confirmed that Leon Johnson will replace Rajendra Chandrika as the opener while he also hinted at the inclusion of an extra seamer, which brightens the prospect of 19-year old Alzarri Joseph making his debut.

Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, indicated that Murali Vijay appeared fit, although the opening batsmen did walk off with the physio midway during a practice session. India will have a selection dilemma in case he has fully recovered from his thumb injury. if Vijay is passed fit, the think tank might opt to rest Cheteshwar Pujara, who has failed to capitalise on his two starts so far, and play KL Rahul at number three.

The pitch at the Darren Sammy Stadium has a good covering of grass, but it still seems dry and hard. The groundstaff has watered the pitch on both days, and it will be interesting to see the exact pitch that would be on offer.

The Test series has so far attracted only a bunch of fans, with the number steadily dwindling as the game progresses. The third Test could witness even poorer numbers with cricket fans in St Lucia planning to boycott after Sammy was axed from the T20 International side. West Indies captian, Jason Holder said in the press conference ahead of the third Test that he wishes more people could come and watch them play and support them. But with St Lucia seething with anger over the axing of their beloved champion, there is a good chance that the third Test too would be played to a largely empty house.

Jason Holder has won the toss and invited India to bat first. Three changes in the Indian XI - Rohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja are in for Che Pujara, Amit Mishra and Umesh Yadav.

Too harsh on Pujara, maybe? Certainly deserved another chance.

Meanwhile, two changes for the hosts. West Indies' Under-19 World Cup hero Alzarri Joseph will be making his Test debut, he comes in for Devendra Bishoo. Leon Johnson is replacing Rajendra Chandrika.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite, Leon Johnson, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich(w), Jason Holder(c), Miguel Cummins, Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph

India: Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma

No Murali Vijay either. He missed out the previous game due to a thumb injury and KL Rahul, his replacement, hit a fabulous century. He retains his spot.

Right then. Rahul and Dhawan are out in the middle to open India's first innings. Shannon Gabriel with the new ball. Debutant Alzarri Joseph, 19 years of age, will bowl from the other end.

Mishra, meanwhile, is sitting on the sidelines with an ice pack on his right shoulder. Not sure if that's what has kept him out of this game.

Early wicket for the hosts. Freebie, infact! Gabriel strikes in his second over and Dhawan is on his way back to the pavilion. Short ball, Dhawan could have well left it alone, but instead gives away an edge to the keeper. Umpire Nigel Llong takes a fraction of a second to raise his finger.

Well, surprise surprise! India's new no. 3 batsman, in the absence of Che Pujara, is Virat Kohli!

What a way to open your account in Test cricket. Alzarri Joseph takes out the Indian skipper Virat Kohli for just 1 with a stunning delivery. Short ball, outside off, Kohli was looking to guide it through the covers but was caught off guard by the bounce. Tries to go for the pull but edges it straight to first slip where Darren Bavo takes a lovely catch close to his forehead. No. 3 experiment gone wrong? India in trouble already.

Rahane in at 4. Which means Rohit takes the No. 5 spot.

Meanwhile, it is time for drinks. 10 overs bowled, India are on 43 for 2. West Indies' session so far!

Bowling change right after the drinks break. Miguel Cummins replaces Gabriel and starts off with a bouncer for Rahul.

Rahane survives. The catch drops just short of a diving Leon Johnson at forward short leg. Cummins can't believe his luck.

50-run stand between Rahul and Rahane. Rahul has been particularly impressive today. He's already in 40s.

Fifty for Rahul. Oh and he's gone next ball! Roston Chase picks his first wicket of the game. Soft dismissal for the Indian opener. Kraigg Brathwaite at backward square leg takes a fine catch and that's the end of a partnership that was starting to look dangerous.

India three down for just 77 runs on the board, 50 of which came from Rahul's bat. Rohit Sharma is the new man in.

That's Lunch on Day 1 of the third Test. West Indies' session, must say. Won the toss, put India in and got three class wickets in under two hours.

India made three changes to their squad, dropped Pujara to get Rohit in. Vijay, probably still unfit, sat out as Rahul retained his spot after the hundred in the second game. Dhawan fell early, and Kohli, who came in at No. 3 too went back cheaply. Rahul and Rahane put on 58 for the third wicket stand then. Rahul looked impressive during his 65-ball stay. Didn't take too many chances, wasn't afraid to play his shots too. Unfortunately, he too fell right after a well-made fifty. Rahane and Rohit are in the middle as India head into the break at 87 for 3.

See you in 30 for live updates from the second session.

Back for the second session. Rohit's on strike and Joseph has the ball.

Of all the changes India have made today, Rohit Sharma has become the talking point for obvious reasons. Now's the time for him to play a solid knock and prove his captain right.

And there, another Kohli experiment fails. Debutant Joseph picks up his second wicket and Rohit Sharma is on his way back! Rohit pokes at a delivery outside off. Outside edge to the keeper, picture the typical Rohit Sharma dismissal. India four down now, without the addition of a single run to their total at Lunch. What a waste of a brilliant opportunity.

Meanwhile, its Ashwin at No. 6. And not Jadeja.

Ashwin takes a couple off Holder to bring up the 100 for India. Miguel Cummins, meanwhile, is back into the attack for the first time after Lunch.

Kraigg Brathwaite into the attack with ten minutes to go for the Tea break as West Indies try to break this partnership.The hosts have done a fine job in the second session too, picking up an early wicket - though Rohit himself gifted it away - and then not giving away too many runs.

Rahane and Ashwin, meanwhile, have added 39 to the fifth wicket stand.

Well, Brathwaite couldn't but Roston Chase breaks the flourishing partnership. Rahane falls, at the stroke of Tea - attempted a sweep shot but fails to connect and the ball crashes onto his stumps. He is utterly disappointed with himself for having misread that. He's gone for a patient 35 off 133 balls.All the hard work down the drain.

The Indian captain wouldn't be particularly happy with this. He's time and again been critical of batsman losing their wicket just before/after a break and both Rohit and Rahane have done exactly that in the post-Lunch session. KL Rahul fell similarly just before Lunch.

West Indies in command here. Saha is in. India 126 for 5.

That'll be Tea on Day 1 of the third Test. West Indies's session, yet again. Joseph and Chase added a wicket each to their tally and took out Rohit and Rahane respectively. India have added 43 runs in the 29 overs that were bowled. Needless to say that the visitors are struggling hereto put up a decent total on the board.

Chases's figures: 11-4-15-2 and Joseph's - 9-3-20-2. The only thing that hasn't gone in the favour of West Indies is the over-rate.

Join us in 15 for the live action from the final session of Day 1. 38 overs remaining, FYI.

Right then, we're all set for the final session of the day. Ashwin and Saha out in the middle to resume what seems like a battle now for the visitors. Jason Holder will begin the proceedings.

Ashwin gets a life on 35. Gabriel came back into the attack and struck right away, only to be left disappointed at the end of it all. Short ball, outside off, Ashwin tries to cut and sends it straight to the man at backward point but Gabriel was cutting the return crease, which amounts to a no-ball.

Phil Simmons is a disappointed figure in the West Indies dressing room. Ashwin survives, Jadeja, who was supposed to be India's no. 8, traces his steps back. He'll have to wait a bit more to be out in the middle.

50 of the partnership between Ashwin and Saha. These two have shown immense patience in the last session to revive India's sinking ship. Ashwin on 46.

New ball due in five overs.

Fifty comes up for Ashwin. He's been little erratic ever since he crossed the 40-run mark. Finally gets there with a single off Brathwaite. Just the second half-century for an Indian batsman today.

He's scored quite a bit of runs against the West Indies - three centuries - including the one he scored in the first Test - and now a fifty more. Handy innings.

Saha brings up the 200 for India with a drive through the covers.

"Slight drizzle" is what we are hearing now. It was bright and sunny just moments ago. Anyway, just three overs to go before stumps on Day 1. Ashwin picking up some freebies off Gabriel.

Saha gets a couple of boundaries off Holder in the next over and brings up the 100 of his partnership with Ashwin. Final over of the day coming up next.

That's stumps on Day 1, folks. West Indies owned the first two sessions but Ashwin and Saha led India's comeback in the final one by scoring 104 runs and more importantly, not losing another wicket recklessly.

Kohli and the Indian management caught everyone by surprise in the morning - making three changes to the team that had dominated the series so far. Amit Mishra, probably injured, Umesh Yadav and Cheteshwar Pujara were dropped and Murali Vijay sat out, presumably still unfit. Bhuvneshwar, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma came in while KL Rahul retained his spot after a century in the previous game. Rahul justified his selection with another breezy innings. His 65-ball 50 helped India rebuild after losing Dhawan and Kohli cheaply in under the first half an hour of play. But Dhawan getting a game ahead of Vijay, on a pitch like what was on offer today, was baffling to say the least.

Not sure what was more disappointing though - Che Pujara facing the axe to accommodate Rohit Sharma or the latter throwing away a golden opportunity gift-wrapped and presented to him out of the blue.

Ashwin and Saha did the repair work in the final session to keep the hosts at bay. The duo stitched the only century partnership of the day, and Ashwin raised his fifty - just the second of India's innings. He'll resume his innings from 74 and attempt his fourth ton against the hosts tomorrow. Giving him company at the other end was Saha who took India past the 200-run mark with a cover drive is unbeaten on 46.

Debutant Alzarri Joseph, meanwhile, deserves a special mention. Tricked an established batsman like Kohli into edging behind in the slip cordon and then got rid of Rohit soon after Lunch to leave India reeling at 87 for 4. Roston Chase too picked up two key wickets - that of Rahul and Rahane.

India crawled their way to 130 for 5 at Tea and would be happy to be at 234 for 5 at stumps on Day 1 - a day that largely belonged to the hosts.

Join us tomorrow for live updates from Day 2 of the third Test. Sayonara!