India rout West Indies by 237 runs to take unassailable 2-0 lead
The Caribbean side were served with two options, either to score the required runs or play out a minimum of 86 overs, the former of which looked a herculean feat, but given their gritty batting in the last Test match to save the day, the latter was a viable option, at which they failed too.
The Indian pace trio of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Ishant Sharma had made their intentions clear, picking up a wicket a piece in the morning session of play, leaving West Indies at three down for 53 runs.
The rest came in quick succession as the last seven wickets fell for just 55 runs.
Barring Darren Bravo (59), the Caribbean batsmen looked all at sea as all the five bowlers registered their names in the wickets column
With the series in their kitty, Indian coach Anil Kumble had a perfect start to his new career.
Credit must also be given to Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who took a cue from the drawn Jamaica Test and made three changes.
His new lineup of bowlers possessed the necessary sting as Kumar in his comeback Test repaid the captain's faith with a 'fifer', and was the one responsible for handling India a substantial lead, by virtue of which the match produced a result despite a rain washed day.
Mohammad Shami was the most menacing of the Indian bowlers, conjuring up pace and bounce and accounting for three casualties in the second innings.
He was ably supported by Ishant Sharma, who pegged back Marlon Samuels' (12) and Roston Chase's (10) stumps.
Another new addition, Ravindra Jadeja too signed off with a couple of wickets to go with his score of 16 runs off 13 balls in the second innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin picked up a solitary wicket but was adjudged the Man of the match due to his valiant hundred in the first innings.
It was Ashwin's 213-run partnership with wicket-keeper batsmen Wriddhiman Saha which bailed India out of mire, as they looked down and out having lost half the side for 126 runs in the first innings.
Ashwin scored his fourth Test century of his career and Saha his maiden as India eventually galloped past the 350-run mark.
The Caribbean side had a perfect first innings start but a collapse in the later half saw their team fold for 225 runs.
With a Test to go, a lot is on the line as India now have the chances of becoming the number one ranked Test side in the world, although results from other games by different international side will come into play.
(Writing by Sudipto Maity)
Image: cricket-wallpapers.in
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
