Mumbai: India celebrated their No.1 ranking in some style as they completed a whitewash over the visiting Black Caps. The result of the match was never in doubt as India piled on the runs and New Zealand surrendered without showing any fight. Ravichandran Ashwin had a match to remember as he took 7/59 (best figures in an innings) in the second innings to go with 6/81 in the first innings.
India started the day looking for quick runs and they achieved their objective with NZ setting defensive fields and just going through the motions and had already accepted the defeat. Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been getting starts finally converted his score into a century and helped India’s cause. Virat Kohli, captain made a positive declaration and set Kiwis an improbable target to avoid the clean sweep.
Ravichandran Ashwin did something which is now becoming a routine affair and picked up his 21st five wicket-haul and his sixth 10 wicket-haul in the match. The Kiwis tried to attack him but by doing so they played into Ashwin’s hands and fell in the trap. Ashwin got the big wickets of Kane Williamson (fourth time in the series) and also took out Ross Taylor, Luke Ronchi and quite fittingly finished the job by picking the final wicket of Trent Boult. Ashwin not only got the man of the match award but also picked up his seventh man of the series award in just 39 Test matches.
The offie from Tamil Nadu said that, “It was a wicket where you had to work hard, be patient. there was a little bit of help outside the off stump, in terms of footmarks. Second innings, they helped us out with their shots,” he said during the presentation.
“Virat had told me he was trying to rotate the bowlers, and it did help, Jaddu got the wicket of Guptill. I feel really good about myself and my confidence is sky high,” Ashwin added.
Indian team has evolved under Kohli and are playing with freedom and enjoyment to fulfil their potential. Ashwin took 27 wickets in the series and by doing so he proved his worth by pocketing his fourth consecutive man of the series award and with 10 more Test matches to come, Ashwin can break many more records and India would stay numero uno Test team for a considerable period of time.