India defeated New Zealand by 197 runs to win its 500th Test on the final day’s play in Kanpur on Monday.
Led by offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took his 19th five-wicket haul and became the second fastest to reach 200 Test wickets, Virat Kohli’s men bundled out the Black Caps for 236 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The next match, at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, is also historic as it will be India’s 250th home Test.
The visitors, who resumed the day on 93 for four, were still 229 runs behind their target.
Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner provided stiff resistance in the first hour of play before Ravindra Jadeja broke the partnership. After that wickets fell at regular intervals. The Kiwis went in to lunch with India still needing three wickets and after the break, the tail didn’t last long.
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At stumps on Saturday, New Zealand were still 341 runs behind their mammoth target of 434, with Luke Ronchi (38) and Mitchell Santner (8) battling on in India’s 500th Test.
The pair put on 37 for the fifth wicket to steady New Zealand’s innings somewhat after the visitors were reduced to 56 for four.
{{/usCountry}}The pair put on 37 for the fifth wicket to steady New Zealand’s innings somewhat after the visitors were reduced to 56 for four.
{{/usCountry}}Ronchi, who has hit four fours and one six during his 58-ball stay, played positively to tackle the spinners on a turning track.
Ashwin rocked the New Zealand innings in his second over when he sent openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham trudging back to the pavilion.
An unlucky Guptill got an inside edge onto his pads to be dismissed for a duck, with the ball lobbing into the hands of Murali Vijay at short leg.
The left-handed Latham, who scored a gritty 58 in the first innings, was trapped lbw for two when playing for the off-break that did not turn.
Ashwin then got the prized wicket of captain Kane Williamson for 25, derailing New Zealand’s chase at Kanpur’s Green Park.
It was Ashwin’s 200th Test wicket in his 37th match, making him the second fastest player to the total. Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett raced to 200 wickets in 36 games.
Squads
India XI: M Vijay, L Rahul, C Pujara, V Kohli, A Rahane, R Sharma, R Ashwin, W Saha, R Jadeja, M Shami, U Yadav
New Zealand XI: T Latham, M Guptill, K Williamson, R Taylor, L Ronchi, M Santner, BJ Watling, M Craig, I Sodhi, T Boult, N Wagner