West Indies collapsed on the final day as India won the third test by 237 runs on Saturday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. Ashwin’s promotion has possibly played the most defining part — scoring centuries in both Tests India have won.
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The previous three series victories – 1971, 2006 and 2011 have been by an identical 1-0 margin.
The quicker bowlers were clinical in their planning as the trio of Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami caused the initial damages.
Only Darren Bravo with 59 displayed any form of meaningful resistance with the visitors’ potent mix of pace and spin proving too much for Caribbean batsmen technically and temperamentally ill-equipped to cope with the challenge. Skipper Virat Kohli was visibly ecstatic but there wasn’t any over-the-top celebrations.
India started the day on 157-3 and added a further 60 runs in only nine overs before being called in by captain Virat Kohli. They have players who have been consistent for many, many years.
Chase was undone by an inswinger from Ishant that went through his defences, Blackwood was smartly stumped by Wriddhiman Saha off Ravindra Jadeja, while Dowrich edged Shami to second slip.
India declared midway through the morning session in St Lucia, giving themselves a maximum of 87 overs to push for victory, but they needed just over half of those as the Windies were skittled for 108. First, Rohit Sharma was adjudged leg before off the second ball of the day despite getting an inside edge.
“I think everyone was hungry to change things around after Jamaica, because we understood that we have the momentum, we are playing good cricket, we are on top in every Test match, so we need to finish things off. I have a better chance to take wickets”, said Kumar after the day’s play. Marlon Samuels (12) then resisted for a short while and saw off the two bowlers, but he found Ishant tough to handle as well.
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.
West Indies meanwhile were struggling with their over-rate and they put on Kraigg Brathwaite (0-33) in tandem with the off-spinner. “But when I came to the ground and bowled the first ball everything felt normal”, he said.
India finished day four at 157/3, and considering its first innings’ lead of 128 runs, it already has a sizeable total on the board.
Kumar ripped through the middle order and tail, moving the second new ball both ways through the air and off the seam to pick up five wickets at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.
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