Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India needed exactly an hour on day five to complete a seven-wicket win over West Indies and seal a 2-0 series sweep at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the National Capital on October 14. KL Rahul anchored the chase with an unbeaten 58 off 108 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes to help India easily hunt down 121. The victory marks India’s first Test series win under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, following the drawn 2-2 result in England earlier this year. Though the margin suggests an easy victory, India were to earn it in New Delhi and defeat West Indies for the tenth straight time in Tests.
West Indies, asked to follow on, refused to fold easily, thanks to John Campbell and Shai Hope’s twin centuries and a defiant last-wicket 79-run stand which led to the contest stretching to day five. But once play resumed, India made quick work of the chase despite an early wobble and earn 12 valuable points to their World Test Championship tally, where they are still at number three and their points percentage now at 61.9.
It was a brave fight from the West Indies, who showed grit and character after a heavy innings defeat in Ahmedabad. Yet, in the end, India’s depth and composure, despite spending 200 overs on the field, proved to be decisive, as Rahul, Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal were amongst the run-makers, while Kuldeep Yadav picked eight wickets on a pitch which was slow and docile. The day began with KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan playing out four maidens before the latter broke the shackles by dancing down the pitch to loft Jomel Warrican through the line over mid-off for four.
