India pass 500th Test in style

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

Kanpur, September 26

At exactly 12.52 pm, 42 minutes after the lunch break, Ravichandran Ashwin sneaked in a carrom ball into left-hander Neil Wagner to trap him leg-before-wicket. Indian skipper Virat Kohli and teammates erupted in joy as Ashwin produced a match-winning delivery for the hosts. A delivery, which wrapped up India’s historic 500th Test with an impressive 197-run win against New Zealand.

Ashwin, who has been the architect of many victories at home, deservedly picked up the last wicket to put India (1-0) ahead in the three-Test series. Ashwin (10/225) produced another 10-wicket haul — his fifth in Test cricket — to underline his utility on slow and low pitches.

Chasing the mammoth target of 434 set by India, New Zealand’s second innings lasted just a little over a session on the final day as they were packed off for 236 in 87.3 overs. As was the case in the first innings, the architects of New Zealand’s downfall were the spin duo of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who shared seven wickets between them in the second innings. Though, Jadeja accounted for just one wicket, he kept a tight leash on the batsmen, troubling them by mixing his deliveries. Pacer Mohammed Shami, too, made his presence felt with the reverse swing.

Ashwin bettered his first innings figures of 4/93 to return with 6/132 in the second innings. It was his 19th five-wicket haul. 

Jadeja man of the moment

Jadeja finished with a match haul of 6/131. He was declared the Man of the Match for his all-round show, bailing out India with an unbeaten 42 runs lower down the order in the first innings, and then, hitting a half-century in the second essay. Ashwin and Jadeja ensured that the overnight batsmen — Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner — did not spoil India’s celebration.

New Zealand had lost the plot on the third day when the team fell 56 runs short of India’s total in the first essay despite a fruitful partnership between skipper Kane Williamson and Tom Latham. In the second innings, the New Zealand bowlers failed to restrict the hosts as the lead swelled to more than 400.

Chasing a total in excess of 400 was always going to be a challenging task on the final day as the conditions made it quite impossible for the Black Caps. New Zealand started the chase at 93/4, still 341 runs adrift, with Ronchi and Santner building on their overnight partnership of 37 runs for the fifth wicket. 

Ronchi puts up a fight

After resisting the spin attack for six overs, Ronchi opened up with a cover drive off Jadeja to bring up his fifty. He often stepped out against the spinners, playing them on the front foot and punishing the loose balls. Santner took a cue from Ronchi and swept Jadeja for a massive six over mid-wicket. Santner has been a revelation for New Zealand, contributing with both bat and ball in both the innings. 

After the drinks break, a rejuvenated Jadeja provided the breakthrough by dismissing Ronchi (80). The fifth-wicket stand between the two added 102 runs but the writing was clear on the wall.

BJ Watling stitched a 29-run partnership with Santner before Shami trapped him leg-before with a reverse swinging delivery. Later, Shami disturbed the timbers of Mark Craig (1) with another ripper. New Zealand took lunch at 205/7 but Ashwin returned to scalp the important wicket of Santner (71; 179b; 7x4, 2x6). Soon, his carrom balls got rid of Ish Sodhi (17) and Wagner (0) to complete a landmark win.

Scoreboard

India 1st innings 318

NZ 1st innings 262  

India 2nd innings: 377/5 decl

NZ 2nd innings: (Overnight 93/4)

T Latham lbw b Ashwin 2

M Guptill c Vijay b Ashwin 0

K Williamson lbw b Ashwin 25

R Taylor run out (Yadav) 17

L Ronchi c Ashwin b Jadeja 80

M Santner c Sharma b Ashwin 71

BJ Watling lbw b Shami 18

M Craig b Shami 1

I Sodhi b Ashwin 17

T Boult not out 2

N Wagner lbw b Ashwin 0

Extras: (LB-2, NB-1) 3

Total: (all out in in 87.3 overs) 236 

FOW:- 1-2, 2-3, 3-43, 4-56, 5-158, 6-194, 7-196, 8-223, 9-236, 10-236

Bowling

M Shami 8-2-18-2

R Ashwin 35.3-5-132-6

R Jadeja 34-17-58-1

U Yadav 8-1-23-0

M Vijay 2-0-3-0