PTI
Gros Islet, August 14: India produced a splendid bowling performance Saturday to clinically decimate West Indies by 237 runs in the third cricket Test thereby taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series. The hosts chasing a victory target of 346 were bundled out for a paltry 108 in 47.3 overs in their second essay.
This is the first time that India have won more than one Test in the Caribbean islands. The previous three series victories – 1971, 2006 and 2011 were by an identical 1-0 margin.
If Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero in the first innings, Mohammed Shami (3/15) and Ishant Sharma (2/30) did the maximum damage in the second innings. Bhuvneshwar (1/13), Ravichandran Ashwin (1/28) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/20) also complemented the two pacers as none of the batsmen save Darren Bravo (59) showed any stomach for fight.
The historic moment came when Shanon Gabriel’s (11) slog was easily pouched by Bhuvneshwar at deep mid-wicket off Jadeja’s bowling.
India had earlier declared their second innings at 217 for seven with Ajinkya Rahane (78 n o, 116b, 2×4) emerging top scorer. At lunch West Indies were 55 for three and then in the post lunch session they lost their remaining seven wickets for the addition of 53 runs.
It was Ishant’s spell in the middle overs that took the heart out of the hosts’ batting. He got both Marlon Samuels and Roston Chase clean bowling the batsmen with two vicious off-cutters.
Jadeja, brought in place of Bhuvneshwar then had Jermaine Blackwood (1) stumped brilliantly by Wriddhiman Saha and the writing was clear on the wall for the home side.
And when Shami, coming back for his second spell had Bravo caught at short-leg by the constantly chatting Rohit Sharma, it was all over for West Indies. The tail folded meekly.
Brief scores: India 353 and 217 for 7 decl (Ajinkya Rahane 78 n o, Miguel Cummins 6/48); West Indies 225 and 108 (Darren Bravo 59, Mohammed Shami 3/15, Ishant Sharma 2/30, Ravindra Jadeja 2/30). India won by 237 runs.