India clinch series & No. 1 spot
India's bowlers propelled the hosts to a comprehensive 178-run win over New Zealand in the second Test on Monday, to clinch the series and reclaim the top spot in the world rankings.
Chasing 376 runs for victory, New Zealand were bowled out for 197 in the final session on the fourth day in Kolkata, with India's Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja taking three wickets each.
Shami claimed the final wicket of Trent Boult, sparking celebrations in the Indian team who now take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after winning the first Test in Kanpur.
The victory also sees India jump back to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings after starting the series just one point behind archrivals Pakistan.
Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took five scalps in the first innings, shared 12 wickets between them on a two-paced track at Eden Gardens that offered the seam bowlers of both sides great help.
But batsman Wriddhiman Saha was awarded player of the match for his unbeaten half-centuries in both innings against New Zealand's seamers.
SCORES IN BRIEF
INDIA: First innings 316
NEW ZEALAND: First innings 204
INDIA: Second innings 227 for 8 (Dhawan 17, Kohli 45, Sharma 82, Saha 58 not out, Kumar 23; Boult 3-38, Henry 3-59, Santner 3-60)
NEW ZEALAND: Second innings 197 (Latham 74, Guptill 24, Ronchi 32; Shami 3-46, Ashwin 3-82, Jadeja 3-41)
Result: India won by 178 runs and led three-match series 2-0.
Player-of-the-match: Wriddhiman Saha.
Comments