Earlier, Ashwin ran through the West Indies batting line-up, picking up 4/41 in 16 overs, after Marlon Samuels (50) and Rajendra Chandrika defied India in the first session with a 67-run partnership for the third wicket.
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Kohli’s 200 – his maiden double ton – was by far the highest score in the match.
India stamped their authority as Ravichandran Ashwin returned impressive figures of 7/83 to bowl out the West Indies for 231 and notch up a record innings and 92-run win in Antigua on Sunday. And you know, winning is contagious. If we learn to win Test matches, then well learn how to win Tests everywhere.
There were only two three-centuries in the match from the hosts, and they needed to do better to even have a hope of saving the match.
“That for me is a very pleasing thing as a captain and for the team as well. I could see the hunger of people wanting to go on the field and “now’s the time to do what we have practiced” so. we just want to continue doing the same”.
“Execution is the name of the game at the end of the day and in the end we have to admit we didn’t execute well enough”.
Ashwin produced an off-spin bowling masterclass andtriggered a second-innings slide that saw the hosts collapsefrom 88/2 to 132/8 on the fourth and penultimate day. “We need to be comfortable with what the team requires and I think that’s the most important for this team going forward”, he added.
It was only a brief revival though as captain Jason Holder was Yadav’s next victim – one of six scalps for wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha – before Carlos Brathwaite’s first-ball duck, bowled by Yadav (four for 41), left them 213 for nine. Bishoo hit straight to midwicket off Ashwin in the 78th over, and three balls later bowled Shannon Gabriel (4) to wrap up the proceedings with a day to spare. The hosts in their first innings were bowled out for 243, and were made to bat again after India chose to enforce follow-on option.
And India have no intention of resting on their laurels, with in-form skipper Kohli saying afterwards: “If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not”.
“It’s going to take a while for everything to click in the bowling department because this is a very young group”, said West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick.
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Braithwaite too struggled to negotiate the bounce and the swing and once had a shot just flying above the slip fielders.
