John Campbell Makes History by Becoming First West Indies Opener in 23 Years to Score Test Ton in India

Courtesy of the record-breaking hundreds from John Campbell and Shai Hope, West Indies set India a final target of 121 runs to chase.

John Campbell Makes History by Becoming First West Indies Opener in 23 Years to Score Test Ton in India

John Campbell became the first West Indies' opener in over two decades to score a hundred on Indian soil. (via News Bytes)

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West Indies’ red-ball opener John Campbell recorded his first international hundred in the longest format of the game. With that, he also etched his name in the record books. He became the first opener from the Caribbean in over two decades to score a Test hundred on Indian soil.

At the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Shubman Gill and the team posted a massive first innings total of 518/5 on the board. The visitors, in response, could only manage 248 runs in their first innings, with only three players going past the 30-run mark individually, thereby handing India a comfortable 270-run lead. It allowed the Men in Blue to enforce a follow-on for the second time in a row.

While it was appeared that the Indian team was cruising to another innings victory over the West Indies, opener John Campbell and Shai Hope stood in their way. The Windies made a comeback by putting up 390 on the board. Campbell, who had only scored 32 runs in three innings before that, went on to complete his maiden Test hundred, showing off a blend of patience and controlled aggression.

The 32-year-old finished with 115 runs off 199 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and three sixes, before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja in the 64th over. Campbell’s innings marked a series of unique records for both the player and the West Indies team. He became the first West Indies’ opener to score a hundred on Indian soil in 23 years, with the last instance being Wavell Hinds’ century in Kolkata in 2002.

Furthermore, Campbell became the first opener from the country to reach a century against India since Darren Ganga’s 135 in St. Kitts. Taking 48 innings to complete his maiden Test ton, John Campbell is now second on the list of players who took the most innings after their debut to record a century. He only trails South Africa’s Trevor Goddard, who took 58 innings. Campbell also stitched a 177-run third-wicket stand with Shai Hope, who scored 103 runs off 214 deliveries. 

Beyond that, John Campbell also became the first opener from a visiting team to score a Test hundred in Delhi in the 21st century, and the sixth overall to make it to the milestone. Prior to the 32-year-old batter, England’s Tim Robinson had last scored a hundred at the venue back in 1984. 

West Indies’ Jayden Seales fined by ICC following code of conduct breach in Delhi Test

Young West Indies pace-bowling talent Jayden Seales was fined by the ICC for breaching the Code of Conduct during the last Test of the two-match red-ball tour to India. Seales has been fined for the violation, and will have to pay 25 percent of his match fee for the second Test in Delhi. 

Jayden Seales West Indies ICC breach
West Indies pacer Jayden Seales has been fined for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct against India. (via NDTV Sports)

The incident occurred in the 29th over of India’s first innings. While bowling, during a follow-through, the 24-year-old pacer picked up the ball and threw it back towards the stumps on the batter’s end, as it ended up hitting Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal on the pads. The action was deemed inappropriate, given the batter was well within the crease and not attempting a run, putting Jayden Seales’ actions in question. 

While the young pacer defended his actions by suggesting that he threw the ball while attempting a run-out, match referee Andy Pycroft refuted the arguments. Pycroft, upon examining the video of the incident, found Jayden Seales’ actions as a violation of Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct. He was fined 25 percent of his match fee, as well as handed one demerit point.

Seales delivered a lackluster performance in the first innings, finishing with figures of 0/88 in his 22-over spell. The pacer has struggled to meet expectations despite being the lead pacer in the West Indies lineup, in Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph’s absence.

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