2nd Test: India sweep series 2-0 vs West Indies to consolidate top-spot in World Test Championship table
Kingston, September 02:
India registered yet another resounding win over West Indies in the 2nd Test on Monday to sweep the series 2-0 and consolidate their position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship points table. India had won the first Test by 318 runs in Antigua last week.
Resuming their innings at 45 for 2 on Day 4, the Windies batsmen showed more fight than they put up in the first innings but still could not match up to the superior level of India and were bundled out for 210 in the second session to lose the match by 257 runs.
India top the ICC World Test Championship table with 120 points from 2 matches followed by New Zealand and Sri Lanka, who have 60 points each.
The hosts had a shaky start after Darren Bravo retired hurt for 23 early on Day 4. Bravo was hit on the head in the final session by a Jasprit Bumrah bouncer but he had passed a concussion test after the end of the third day’s play and was allowed to return to the field and complete his innings, but his condition worsened on Monday.
Jermaine Blackwood was added to the Windies batting lineup as the concussion substitute under the new concussion rules. Blackwood became only the second concussion substitute in this World Test Championship after Marnus Labuschagne, who had replaced Steve Smith during the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lord’s last month.
After Bravo left the field, Roston Chase joined Shamarh Brooks in the middle and the duo negotiated the first hour of play without giving away their wickets.
The win saw Virat Kohli become the most successful Test captain for India with 28 victories to his name. He surpassed MS Dhoni’s record, who had 27 wins during his captaincy career. This is also India’s 8th successive Test series win over West Indies and their first series sweep in the Caribbean.
Hanuma Vihari was picked as the Player of the Match for his maiden Test hundred in the first innings which saw him score 111 runs. He also finished as the highest run-scorer in the series with 289 runs from 2 matches at an average of 96.33 which included 1 century and two fifties. Jasprit Bumrah was the highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps in the 2 Tests which also included 2 five-wicket hauls.
India finished the tour of the Caribbean unbeaten after having swept the T20I (3-0) and Test series (2-0) while they won the ODI series 2-0. India is also the first team to win a series in this World Test Championship.(IndiaToday)