BRIDGETOWN, June 29: Ishant Sharma grabbed two quick wickets before lunch to give India the upper hand and leave West Indies reeling on 82 for five in the second Test on Wednesday.

The beanpole fast bowler exploited a bouncy Kensington Oval pitch and overcast conditions, removing night watchman Devendra Bishoo and compatriot Ramnaresh Sarwan in the space of four deliveries.

The West Indies were continuing their response to the Indians' first innings total of 201 on a rain-shortened second morning.

Sharma has been the most successful of the visitors' bowlers, taking three for 31 from 10 overs, after West Indies resumed on their overnight total of 30 for three.

Rain delayed the start of play by 45 minutes, but Sharma bristled with confidence, and gave India early success.

He had Bishoo caught in the gully for 13, fencing at a short, rising delivery in his seventh over, and three balls later trapped Sarwan lbw for 18 on the back foot with a delivery that moved back from outside the off-stump.

But India failed to make further headway, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels batting through the last 45 minutes before the interval to stem the fall of wickets.

On Tuesday’s opening day as many as 13 wickets tumbled. India's batting crumbled on two separate occasions as they were bowled out for just 201 after tea, while West Indies lost three wickets of their own.

The tourists lost their first four wickets for a meagre 38 runs as their top order struggled to come to grips with the extra bounce and pace at one of the Caribbean's most lethal pitches, then lost their last six wickets for 46 runs when the tail folded against spin.

But West Indies failed to capitalise on their strong start, losing both openers and Darren Bravo to catches behind the stumps.

Only a century partnership from Vangipurappu Laxman and Suresh Raina saved India from an even lower total with the pair putting on 117 for the fifth wicket on a day when ball dominated over bat.

Laxman withstood a ferocious onslaught from the West Indian pacemen for a beautifully compiled 85, reaching exactly 8,000 career runs in his 200th Test innings.

Laxman struck 12 boundaries, comprising a mixture of fully bludgeoned drives and pulls, with some delightful, delicate touches. He looked set for a deserved hundred before he was deceived by Bishoo and caught by Adrian Barath at backward point, all but ending India's hopes of a bigger first innings total.

Raina made 53 but was less assured than Laxman. He also fell to Bishoo, caught in close, but was unhappy with the decision, dropping his bat and appearing reluctant to leave when the umpire Asad Rauf’s finger was raised.

Bishoo finished with three wickets, as did fast bowler Ravi Rampaul.

India went to lunch at 44-4 but added 103 runs in the middle session without any further casualties, Laxman reaching his half-century off 75 deliveries and Raina passing fifty from 90 balls.

But West Indies polished off the tail in the afternoon session, only to get the wobbles when they began their own reply, losing Barath and Lendl Simmons in the space of six deliveries then Bravo on the penultimate ball of the day.—Agencies