Ashwin wraps up India victory with 10-wicket haul
Ravichandran Ashwin ensured India marked their 500th Test with a dominant victory as he took 10 wickets in the 197-run rout of New Zealand.
Having ripped through the Black Caps’ top order to take him past 200 Test wickets on Sunday, Ashwin continued to torment the tourists on day five as India took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Ashwin’s 6-132 gave him a 19th five-for in only 37 Tests and a fifth 10-wicket haul, and the New Zealand tail proved no match for the spinner as the tourists were bowled out for 236 in pursuit of 434 in Kanpur.
Ashwin added another three wickets to the dismissals he picked up a day earlier, producing a mesmeric delivery to remove dangerman Mitchell Santner before clearing up Ish Sodhi (17) and Neil Wagner (0) to complete the win.
Santner had provided brief resistance as he reached his maiden Test half century, but a delivery that turned from well outside leg stump finally ended his battle on 71.
The tail had no answer to Ashwin’s spin and when Wagner was trapped in front in the 88th over the game was over and India had marked their landmark Test in the perfect fashion.
1-0! India celebrate their 500th Test in style, as they beat New Zealand in the 1st #IndvNZ Test by 197 runs: https://t.co/vhKEVwpAyt pic.twitter.com/Rq43u3tUdz
— ICC (@ICC) September 26, 2016
Luke Ronchi (80) and Santner continued their unbeaten fifth-wicket stand early on the final day with the former taking the attack to India with nine fours and one six.
The pair added another 65 to their total before Ronchi was forced into a mistake by Ravindra Jadeja (1-58), his leading edge picking out Ashwin for a simple catch at point.
Santner maintained his diligent approach and was ably assisted by BJ Watling but with victory in sight India began to apply the pressure
Eventually it told as Watling (18) and Mark Craig (1) were dismissed in quick succession by Mohammed Shami (2-18) to leave New Zealand teetering on the brink at 196-7.
Some hefty blows from Santner saw him pass 50 for the first time in any international format of the game.
Unfortunately for the 24-year-old the return of Ashwin soon had India celebrating.
And it was the loss of Santner that triggered the end, Ashwin generating sensational turn from the Green Park pitch to square up the batsman and take the outside edge, Rohit Sharma gleefully pouching the catch at silly point.
With Santner gone it was then only a matter of time before victory was assured, an arm ball from Ashwin deceived Sodhi to leave India one away and four overs later he wrapped up the win as a bemused Wagner was trapped in front, enabling the home celebrations to begin.
