Delhi, Nov 6: Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored his 24th Test century to guide the West Indies to a respectable 256 for the loss of five wickets on the opening day of Delhi Test against India. The 37-year-old Chanderpaul remained unbeaten on 111 at the close of play.

Earlier, West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first. India picked Yuvraj Singh ahead of Virat Kohli while R Ashwin and Umesh Yadav made their respective Test debuts.

The West Indies’ top order disappointed on a Feroz Shah Kotla wicket that offered little help to the Indian pacers. Kieran Powell, having enjoyed a life off Pragyan Ojha’s bowling, thanks to a dropped catch, was trapped lbw by the left-arm spinner for 14 in just the 12th over of the day. Kirk Edwards (15) became Ojha’s second victim of the morning session when he offered a sharp return catch to Ojha.

Having gone in to lunch at 69 for two, the visitors suffered another jolt immediately after play resumed when R Ashwin shattered Darren Bravo’s stumps; this was the debutant’s first wicket in Test cricket.

But the visitors offered some tough resistance after the loss of the three top-order wickets. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite struck his second half-century in Tests and put on a 108-run stand with the ageless Shivnarine Chanderpual for the fourth wicket to guide the West Indies out of trouble. Brathwaite was eventually stumped by MS Dhoni off Ojha’s bowling for 63. The West Indies were at 180 for four at the loss of Brathwaite’s wicket.

Marlon Samuels (15), batting at No. 6, didn’t offer much of a fight as he edged a delivery from R Ashwin to help MS Dhoni complete his 200th dismissal in Test cricket.

Chanderpaul, meanwhile, batted on at the other end. The Caribbean veteran brought up his seventh Test century against India even as wickets fell at the other end. Enjoying a career strike-rate of 42.31 before this innings, Chanderpaul was at his fluent best today as he brought up his Test century off just 144 deliveries (strike-rate of 69.44).

West Indies eventually finished the day at 256 for five following an unbeaten 56-run stand between Chanderpaul (111*) and Carlton Baugh (19*) for the sixth wicket.

Brief scores: West Indies 1st innings 256/5 in 91.0 overs (Shivnarine Chaderpaul 111*, Kraigg Brathwaite 63, Pragyan Ojha 3/58, R Ashwin 2/79)