India’s spinners wasted little time in removing New Zealand’s remaining batters on Monday to thrash the tourists by a record 372 runs in the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium and secure the series 1-0.
It was the biggest margin of victory by runs for India in a home match, eclipsing their 337-run win against South Africa in a Delhi Test in 2015.
Spin-bowling all-rounder Jayant Yadav did most of the damage on the fourth morning, picking up 4-49 to cut through New Zealand’s middle and lower order.
Ravichandran Ashwin took the final wicket to finish with 4-34 as New Zealand were all out for 167 in their second innings, chasing 540 for victory.
It took India just 43 minutes in the first session to wrap up the win after New Zealand had resumed on 140-5.
Jayant struck thrice in the first half hour of the fourth morning and four times in nine legal deliveries to finish with career-best figures of 4 for 49, as India wrapped up their biggest win in terms of runs – 372 – and also handed New Zealand their biggest loss.
Overnight batters Henry Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra played out the first 20 minutes against Jayant and Ashwin, with both bowlers beating the outside edge nearly every over. Jayant was more wayward of the two and was punished for fours by Ravindra whenever he pitched short outside off. Ravindra collected two fours in the third over of the morning and two more four overs later.
Between the first two of those fours, Ravindra also survived a very close lbw shout when Jayant struck him in front of middle stump, but umpire Nitin Menon adjudged it not out. India didn’t review despite the close shout and ball-tracking later showed it was clipping off for umpire’s call, which wouldn’t have overturned the decision anyway had India reviewed.
Jayant ensured India didn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough though. As soon as Ravindra swept him for back-to-back fours past backward square leg, Jayant drew his outside edge for a catch at second slip to start the march towards victory.
In his next over, he drew sharp turn from outside off to trap Kyle Jamieson lbw for a duck. Two balls later, he rattled the stumps when Tim Southee danced down to miss a big heave also for a duck, and three balls later, in his next over, Jayant bagged his fourth by getting Will Somerville caught at the second short-leg fielder who had just been brought in.
Ashwin then wrapped up victory in the next over with his 300th Test wicket at home and also his 50th this year. Nicholls had blocked plenty of deliveries from Ashwin the previous evening and this morning around the off stump carefully by pressing forward regularly, but as soon as he stepped out of the crease to attack, Ashwin’s flight and turn went past the swinging bat and Wriddhiman Saha completed a quick stumping to dismiss the batter for 44.
Ashwin finished with 8 for 42 in the match and spinners lapped up 33 of the 36 wickets that fell to bowlers, apart from Tom Blundell’s run out on the third evening.
