Umesh Yadav's maiden 10-wicket haul (6/88 and 4/45) on a decent track was the highlight as India reached the meagre victory target of 72 in 16.1 overs, courtesy unbeaten partnership between openers Prithvi Shaw (33) and KL Rahul (33).
While any Test series victory is welcome, it hardly was an ideal preparation for the big away-series against Australia, starting December 4 in Adelaide.
West Indies were back to their worst despite showing signs of a fight in the first innings as they couldn’t last two full sessions and were bowled out for 127 in only 46.1 in their second innings.
Out of the four innings in this series, West Indies couldn’t cross the 200-run mark thrice which was a testimony to their plight during the series.
For India, it was their 10th series win at home since their last defeat against England way back in 2012.
Virat Kohli’s side did an encore of 2013 series which India won by an identical margin in that year’s most lopsided contest with Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell taking the limelight.
(PTI report)
Openers Prithvi Shaw and Lokesh Rahul chased down a target of 72 runs in 16.1 overs as India beat the West Indies inside three days for the second successive time.
Shaw hit the winnings runs, the second youngest after Aussie Pat Cummins to do so. Both Shaw and Lokesh Rahul remained unbeaten on 33 each.
This is India's tenth successive series win at home, a record shared with Australia. Aussies have done it twice – 1994/95-2000/01 and 2004-2008/09.
Brief Scores:
West Indies: 311 and 127 all out in 46.1 overs (S Ambris 38, Shai Hope 28; Umesh Yadav 4/45).
India: 367 all out in 106.4 overs and 75/0 in 16.1 overs (Shaw 33 not out, Rahul 33 not out).
Result: India won by 10 wickets
Player Of The Match: Umesh Yadav
Player Of The Series: Prithvi Shaw
Most Runs: Prithvi Shaw (237)
Most Wickets: Umesh Yadav (11)
Umesh's Maiden 10-Wicket Haul
Umesh Yadav got his maiden 10-wicket haul in a match as India dismissed the West Indies for 127. The pacer took the last Windies wicket, that of Gabriel.
India need 71 runs to win the match and register a series sweep.
Jadeja Strikes After Tea
Post-Tea, Ravindra Jadeja has struck twice, removing Windies captain Jason Holder (19) and Ambris (38) to further deepen the visitor's woes.
Windies were 110/8 after 42 overs. They have taken a 54-run lead.
Umesh Yadav Returns To Haunt Windies Again
Umesh Yadav at his furious best. India pacer has clean bowled both Roston Chase (6) and Shane Dowrich (0). Both the batsmen have tasted Umesh ferocity yesterday.
At Tea, Windies were 76/6. They have taken a lead of 20 runs.
Windies Top-Order Blown Away
Kuldeep Yadav broke the 39-run third-wicket stand between Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer (17) in the 13th over, then Ravindra Jadeja got the better of Hope (28) in the very next over.
Early Wickets For India
Umesh Yadav, who missed a hat-trick yesterday, struck in the second ball of the Windies second innings to remover Kraigg Brathwaite, caught behind.
In the third over, Ravichandran Ashwin removed Kieran Powell, caught by Ajinkya Rahane at slip cordon.
Both the batsmen departed without scoring.
India Take Crucial 56-Run Lead
Indian innings folded for 367 with Shannon Gabriel dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin for 35. His little cameo ensured India take a 56-run lead.
In a space of 16.1 overs, India lost five wickets for 25 runs to move from a comfortable 314 for 4 to 339 for 9 before Ravichandran Ashwin (35 of 83 balls) made a useful contribution.
Ashwin played a gritty knock even as debutant Shardul batted with a groin strain. Despite feeling the pain, Shardul ran a few singles and patiently waited for the loose balls, hitting four boundaries.
Holder Breathes Fire
Resuming from their overnight score of 308/4, India lost three wickets – Ajinkya Rahane (80), Rishabh Pant (92), Ravindra Jadeja (0) and Kuldeep Yadav (5) – in 11 overs.
The Rahane-Pant duo added 152 runs for the fifth wicket and once the visitors got the breakthrough, the floodgates were opened.
In two consecutive Tests, Pant has been dismissed for identical scores of 92. This time, he played 134 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and two sixes.
Holder (5/56 in 23 overs) completed his fifth five-wicket haul. The last time a pacer take a fifer after scoring fifty+ runs in India was legendary Malcolm Marshall, in 1983. Shannon Gabriel, after yesterday's erratic performance, came back well to take 3/107 in 20.4 overs.
Day 2 Recap
An all-round India wrested back control of Saturday. At the close of play, India were 308/4 with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant unbeaten on 75 and 85 respectively.
Pant's audacious stroke-play complemented Rahane’s patient approach as they added 146 runs for the fifth wicket. India are now only three runs short of West Indies' first innings total of 311.
The Caribbeans could add only 16 runs in the morning session after Umesh Yadav polished off the tail with career-best figures of 6/88 in 26.4 overs.
The second Test match between India and the West Indies at Hyderabad entered an interesting phase after the visitors hit back with a vengeance on Day 2. In the morning session, visiting captain Jason Holder ran through the Indian middle-order, just like what Umesh Yadav did for India on Day 2 yesterday.
