India vs New Zealand 1st Test Highlights | Ashwin spins India to victory

Ravichandran Ashwin emerged India’s hero, taking 10 wickets, as the hosts bowled out New Zealand for 236 in their second innings to win the first cricket Test by 197 runs on the fifth day at the Green Park here on Monday.

Chasing a daunting 434, the Kiwis were 93 for four at stumps on day four and on Monday lost the remaining six wickets for just 143 runs. Luke Ronchi (80) and Mitchell Santner (71) put up a strong resistance in the first hour of the day but their patience didn’t last long.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (6/132) claimed his 19th five-wicket haul and nailed the final three wickets of the day, while medium pacer Mohammad Shami scalped two wickets on the final day of India’s 500th Test.

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Earlier in the day, New Zealand started the day brightly with Santner and Ronchi dominating the Indian bowlers with aggressive batting in the first hour. They stitched a 102-run partnership for the fifth wicket as they relied on positivity to fend off the Indian bowlers.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Ronchi registered his second fifty in Test cricket as he completed a stroke-filled knock. However, with his score at 80 and his team’s total at 158/4, he lost his wicket, top-edging a Ravindra Jadeja delivery to Ravichandran Ashwin at point. The right-handed batsman hit nine fours and a six.

Later, seamer Mohammad Shami removed B.J. Watling (18) and Mark Craig (1) to demolish the Kiwi lower middle-order. While right-hander Watling struggled to fend off a pacy in-cutter that hit his pads, Craig misread a line as the ball dismantled his stumps as the New Zealanders went to the lunch with 205/7 on scoreboard.

After lunch, it was just a matter of time before India took the remaining three wickets — and they did it easily. Once again, Ashwin delivered the blows to the visitors. 

Santner found a delivery from Ashwin — that turned sharply and bounced more than expected — unplayable and the ball hit the top of the bat before ending in the hands of Rohit Sharma at silly point.

Next to go was right-hander Ish Sodhi (17) who moved across and exposed the stumps to a delivery from Ashwin.

Ashwin then struck Neil Wagner (0) on the pads and got a leg before wicket (LBW) dismissal to seal not only his 10th wicket of the match but also India’s big win.

with inputs from IANS