The West Indies struck early to give India the jitters on the opening day of the fourth cricket Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground here ON Friday.

The visitors, however, through fluent performances from Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid made sure to avoid a repeat of their third Test collapse in Barbados, where they were bowled out for 102.

India, sent in after West Indies captain Carl Hooper won the toss for the fourth successive time in the series, went to lunch at 73 for one. Jaffer was unbeaten 48 while Dravid was 21 not out.

Left-armer Pedro Collins gave the home team the quick breakthrough after half an hour. The Barbadian removed out-of-touch opener Shiv Sundar Das for three at 13 for one. Das, with 78 runs in five previous innings in the series, was bowled off the inside edge as he was late trying to defend off the back foot.

But on an easy-paced pitch, the Indians rarely looked troubled against the four-pronged West Indian pace attack.

Jaffer, following his maiden Test half century in Barbados, again played some delightful strokes in moving to within two of another 50. Half of his eight boundaries came through cracking shots through the off side off the back foot. The 24-year-old from Mumbai faced 78

deliveries in two hours.

Dravid, typically solid, struck two fours off 68 balls in 88 minutes and moved to within one of 300 runs in the series. Collins took one for 27 off seven overs.

Both teams made one change to their eleven from the third match in Barbados. The West Indies brought in left-hander Wavell Hinds instead of Stuart Williams at the top of the order.

India brought back long-serving leg-spinner Anil Kumble to replace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.