KINGSTON: West Indies swing bowler Ravi Rampaul dismissed both Indian openers Monday as the top-ranked test team was reduced to 69-4 at lunch on the first day of the opening match.
After winning the toss and chosing to bat first at Sabina Park, India was soon in trouble. Rampaul had Murali Vijay caught on 8 by Devendra Bishoo in his second over and then bowled Abhinav Mukund for 11 to leave the Indians on 30-2.
Vijay sliced a leaden-footed drive off the front foot to backward point, where Bishoo juggled the ball before clinging on. The left-handed Mukund, at 21 one of three debutants for the visitors, lost his leg stump after inside-edging an attempted drive.
V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid, India's leading batsmen in the absence of the injured Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir and the rested Sachin Tendulkar, put on 34 runs before Laxman was removed by Bishoo for 12.
Laxman, dropped by a diving Rampaul at mid-on when on 5, played across the line of Bishoo's first delivery and edged tamely to West Indies captain Darren Sammy at slip. Laxman struck two fours.
Kohli, one of the debutants, lasted only 10 deliveries with five runs added to the total. He got off the mark by clipping Edwards' full toss to fine leg but fell in the final over before the break, edging the same bowler through to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.
Rampaul claimed 2-19, while Bishoo took 1-0 from two maidens and Edwards 1-31.
India's third debutant is seamer Praveen Kumar with pace ace Zaheer Khan also missing. West Indies omitted Kemar Roach and Marlon Samuels from the squad of 13.