India beat West Indies by an innings and 51 runs in Sachin’s 199th Test

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Kolkata, Nov 8, 2013: Heroics of India debutants Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma decimated the West Indies inside three days to lift India to an innings and 51-run win in Sachin Tendulkar’s 199th and last Test at Eden Gardens, which also gave India a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

Shami bowled a fiery spell in the final session on day three to tear West Indies’ middle and lower order apart. Shami picked up a five-for on debut and a nine-wicket match haul, which is the best by any Indian fast bowler on debut. Earlier, Rohit (177) and R Ashwin (124) extended their partnership to 280 in the morning to give India a 219-run lead.

 

West Indies were in with a fight with the partnership between Darren Bravo and Kieran Powell, but once the ball started reversing for Shami, he became unplayable and bowled the Windies out for a paltry 168.

At the stat of the day’s play, Ashwin scored his second Test century and Rohit carried on from where he left off on day two. Sharma hit a six and 23 fours in his brilliant innings that marked his arrival in the longer format. Sharma became the second Indian to reach 150 on debut soon after Ashwin reached his second century. However, on 177, he padded one from Veerasammy Permaul and was given out LBW, although the replays showed it wasn’t going to hit the stumps. Ashwin soon followed him back to the pavilion as he was bowled by Shillingford for 124, who completed his five-wicket haul in the process. Soon India were bowled out for 453, having a healthy lead of 219 runs.

West Indies started their second innings on a positive note with Chris Gayle scoring 35-ball 33 before falling to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Gayle hit seven fours in his knock but was caught by Virat Kohli at square leg off Kumar. Kieran Powell and Darren Bravo also got in the 30s but could not capitalise on the starts. Ashwin took his first wicket in the second innings when he trapped Powell plumb in front of the wicket. Visitors lost their third wicket soon when Marlon Samuels was unfortunately adjudged LBW to a Shami delivery by umpire Nigel Llong. Resuming the third sesson at 112 for 3, Windies wickets fell like pack of cards. Ashwin took his second wicket when he had Darren Bravo caught by Rohit at backward point soon after tea, who took a smart catch diving forward.

Denesh Ramdin was the next man to go fo one after giving a simple catch to Murali Vijay at forward short leg off Shami. The game changing over came soon after when India picked three wickets in four balls (Darren Sammy, Shillingford and Permaul), two of them bowled by Shami and one a run-out. Shami clean bowled Sammy and Shillingford with superb reverse swinging deliveries before MS Dhoni ran out Veerasammy Permaul with a direct hit. Ashwin then chipped in with Tino Best’s wicket and after that India were just one-wicket away from a victory. Last man to go was Sheldon Cottrell and Shami completed his first five-for with his scalp. After the match, CAB felicitated Sachin Tendulkar with numerous gifts.