KOLKATA, (Reuters) – India crushed New Zealand by 178 runs in the second test yesterday to clinch the three-match series and reclaim top spot in the world rankings from Pakistan.
Chasing 376 for victory, the touring side were bundled out for 197 in fading light on the fourth day at Eden Gardens to give India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
India will return to the top of the International Cricket Council test rankings irrespective of the result of the third and final test in Indore which starts on Saturday.
India’s ambition to regain the top ranking after handing over the honour to arch-rivals Pakistan recently following a washed-out test in the West Indies dove-tailed perfectly with the bumper test season at home.
“With the coming home season we have control of that situation (staying number one),” captain Virat Kohli said at the presentation, referring to the season ahead where India will also host tests against England, Australia and Bangladesh.
It was an all-round show from the Indian bowlers with spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and fast bowler Mohammed Shami picking up three wickets each.
New Zealand opener Tom Latham waged a lone battle, top- scoring for his side with a dogged 74.
Latham and Martin Guptill (24) survived nervous moments before lunch to give New Zealand a solid start with a series-best opening stand of 55.
Guptill, whose place in the side is under scrutiny after a string of poor scores, was on six when he was given not out following a confident appeal for lbw by Shami.
The right-hander was trapped leg before in the first over after lunch by off-spinner Ashwin, who also sent back stand-in skipper Ross Taylor (four) in similar fashion.
Latham concentrated hard to bring up his second half-century of the series and added 49 for the second wicket with Henry Nicholls (24), who replaced regular captain Kane Williamson in the side.
Nicholls edged Jadeja to slip before Shami picked up two quick wickets by getting the ball to reverse swing and New Zealand lost seven wickets in the final session.
Local boy Shami returned to take the final wicket of Trent Boult much to the delight of the crowd.
Earlier, resuming on 227 for eight, India were all out for 263 in their second innings, setting New Zealand a difficult target on a wearing track.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha was not out on 58, his second unbeaten fifty of the game earning him the man of the match award.
Boult, Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner picked up three wickets each for the touring side.
Scoreboard
India 1st innings 316 (C. Pujara 87, A. Rahane 77, W. Saha 54 no)
New Zealand 1st innings 204
(B. Kumar 5-48)
India 2nd innings (Overnight: 227-8)
M. Vijay c Guptill b Henry 7
S. Dhawan lbw b Boult 17
C. Pujara lbw b Henry 4
V. Kohli lbw b Boult 45
A. Rahane c Boult b Henry 1
Ro. Sharma c Ronchi b Santner 82
R. Ashwin lbw b Santner 5
W. Saha not out 58
R. Jadeja c sub b Santner 6
B. Kumar c Nicholls b Wagner 23
M. Shami c Latham b Boult 1
Extras (b-10 lb-1 w-3) 14
Total (all out, 76.5 overs) 263
Fall of wickets: 1-12 M. Vijay,2-24 C. Pujara,3-34 S. Dhawan,4-43 A. Rahane,5-91 V. Kohli,6-106 R. Ashwin,7-209 Ro. Sharma,8-215 R. Jadeja,9-251 B. Kumar,10-263 M. Shami
Bowling: T. Boult 17.5 – 6 – 38 – 3(w-2) M. Henry 20 – 2 – 59 – 3 N. Wagner 15 – 3 – 45 – 1(w-1) J. Patel 8 – 0 – 50 – 0 M. Santner 16 – 2 – 60 – 3
New Zealand 2nd innings
(Target: 376 runs)
T. Latham c Saha b R. Ashwin 74
M. Guptill lbw b R. Ashwin 24
H. Nicholls c Rahane b Jadeja 24
R. Taylor lbw b R. Ashwin 4
L. Ronchi b Jadeja 32
M. Santner lbw b Shami 9
B. Watling b Shami 1
M. Henry c Kohli b Jadeja 18
J. Patel b B. Kumar 2
N. Wagner not out 5
T. Boult c Vijay b Shami 4
Extras 0
Total (all out, 81.1 overs) 197
Fall of wickets: 1-55 M. Guptill,2-104 H. Nicholls,3-115 R. Taylor,4-141 T. Latham,5-154 M. Santner,6-156 B. Watling,7-175 L. Ronchi,8-178 J. Patel,9-190 M. Henry,10-197 T. Boult Bowling: B. Kumar 12 – 4 – 28 – 1 M. Shami 18.1 – 5 – 46 – 3 R. Ashwin 31 – 6 – 82 – 3 R. Jadeja 20 – 3 – 41 – 3
Referees Umpire: Richard Kettleborough
Umpire: Rod Tucker
TV umpire: CK Nandan
Match referee: David Boon
Result: India won by 178 runs