Hyderabad: A career best bowling performance by Ravichandran Ashwin helped India crush New Zealand by an innings and 115 runs and go 1—0 up in the two match Test series in Hyderabad on Sunday.
New Zealand batsmen who suffered throughout the match collapsed like a pack of cards once again and skittled out for 164 in the second innings, just after the tea break on the fourth day.
Replicating his performance from the first innings, Ashwin again picked up six wickets to finish with a match haul of 12 for 85. He took 54 for six in the innings, while in the first innings returned with figures of 31 for six.
Pragyan Ojha played a perfect fiddle to Ashwin and chipped in with figures of three for 48 .
Earlier after rain delayed the start of the match, New Zealand came out to bat at the overnight score of 44 for one.
They batted cautiously and did not lose any wicket for frustrated the Indian bowlers as Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson played out the entire session.
But soon after the lunch, Umesh Yadav got the first breakthrough of the day as he removed Brendon McCullum at the score of 42.
And after that it was down to spin duo of Ashwin and Ojha who wrapped out the Kiwis batting line-up with more than a day to left.
Williamson top-scored with 52 for the Black Caps.
The win came as a much needed respite for India after their eight consecutive defeats in England and Australia.
The two teams now travel to Bangalore for the second Test to begin from August 31.
Brief score:
India 438 (Pujara 159, Dhoni 73, Patel 4-100) beat New Zealand 159 (Franklin 43* Ashwin 6-31) & 164 (Williamson 52, Ashwin 6-54) by an innings and 115 runs.
By Indian Sports News Network
