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India vs West Indies: Umesh Yadav sets-up dominant Indian victory
For the second time in as many Tests, India thrashed West Indies inside three days to clean sweep the two-match series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday.
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Umesh Yadav’s maiden 10-wicket haul (6/88 and 4/45) crushed West Indies’ hopes of any comeback as the visitors were bundled out for just 127 runs in the second innings, setting India a meagre 72-run target, which the openers smashed in 16.1 overs to complete the victory.
Yadav continued breathing fire on a pitch that offered very little for the bowlers. If his four wickets on the opening essay crumbled the Caribbean’s rearguard, his other four in the second innings burned their hopes for survival.
The 30-year-old started West Indies’ innings on a hat-trick, having dismissed centurion Roston Chase (106) and Shannon Gabriel off successive balls, and needed just two balls to get the first breakthrough.
Kraigg Brathwaite went for a duck offering a simple catch to Rishabh Pant, while Kierran Powell followed suit three overs later. Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer stayed for 39 runs more, but impatience saw the latter pull one to Cheteshwar Pujara off Kuldeep Yadav. Hope returned offering a catch to Ajinkya Rahane at slip leaving his team stuttering at 45/4.
But with Chase still at the crease and with skipper Jason Holder to follow their hopes were still on. Umesh though had other plans. He returned to dismiss both Chase and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich off successive balls, while Holder survived the hat-trick ball.
But could last just 38 runs more before getting out to Ravindra Jadeja, who in the very next over removed Sunil Ambris (38) leaving for Umesh to complete his first 10-wicket haul in a match.
It was India’s 10th series victory at home since they last lost to England in 2012.
Earlier, with Rahane (80) and Pant (92) beginning India’s third day, the hosts looked set for once again registering a big lead. But Holder struck to remove the right-hander before Gabriel sent back Pant stranded on 92 for the second time in two innings. The two added 152 for the fifth wicket.
The tail-enders added 45 more, chiefly through Ashwin (35) as India folded for 367 taking a slender 56-run lead. Holder finished with five wickets. His average at 11.87, was the highest for any bowler with 30 wickets or more in a single calendar year.
He though managed none in the second innings as India romped home to a 10-wicket victory with openers Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul remaining identically not out on 33, to clean sweep the series.
Image Source: Hindustan Times
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