India produced a splendid performance to clinically decimate West Indies by 237 runs in the third Test in Saint Lucia and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
Having lost an entire day due to rain (third day), it was a superb effort by the bowling unit that bundled out West Indies for 108 in 47.3 overs while chasing a stiff target of 346 in 87 overs.
Incidentally, this is the first time in over six decades that India has won more than one Test match in the Caribbean. India won the series in 1971, 2006 and 2011 by a margin of 1-0.
If Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero in the first innings, Mohammed Shami (3/15 in 11 overs) and Ishant Sharma (2/30 in 7 overs) did the maximum damage in the second innings.
Bhuvneshwar (1/13), Ravichandran Ashwin (1/28) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/20) also complemented the two pacers as none of the batsmen save Darren Bravo (59) showed any stomach for fight.
The historic moment came when Shanon Gabriel’s slog was easily pouched by Bhuvneshwar at deep mid-wicket off Jadeja’s bowling. Skipper Virat Kohli was visibly ecstatic but there wasn’t any over-the-top celebrations.
Earlier, India batted for seven overs in the morning declaring their second innings at 217 for seven with Ajinkya Rahane remaining unbeaten on 78 off 116 balls.
India bowled 20 overs before lunch and had reduced West Indies to 53 for 3.
Mohammed Shami took the first wicket for India after dismissing Leon Johnson in the fourth over of the innings and Kraigg Brathwaite fell to Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the very next over.
After a few overs, Ishant Sharma got Marlon Samuels bowled for 12 runs, which reduced West Indies for 35/3.
In the post lunch session, the home team lost seven more wickets for 55 runs.
Bravo and Roston Chase (10) looked to bat for time and resurrect the innings from a precarious 53/3 in the post lunch session.
They faced a testing spell from Ishant and Bhuvneshwar who were using the 20-over-old ball very well.
The former was pitching the ball up a lot more than he has done in this series and found instant result, as one swung in sharply in the 26th over, and knocked back Chase’s stumps, bowling him through the gate.
When spinners came into the attack, Jermaine Blackwood (1) was stumped off Jadeja as keeper Wriddhiman Saha did some excellent work.
Shane Dowrich (5) then played out 8 overs with Bravo, though only adding 16 runs for the 6th wicket. It allowed Bravo enough breathing space to complete his 15th Test fifty off 73 balls, but it was never going to be enough.
Shami then came back to bowl another brilliant spell to go with his pre-lunch one, and had the keeper-batsman caught at second slip.
Ashwin completed the all-round display from the bowlers, as first, he ran out Jason Holder (1) who was in a terrible mix-up with Bravo going for a non-existent run, and then Alzarri Joseph was caught in the 43rd over.
In between Shami bounced out Bravo yet again, the ball lobbing to Rohit Sharma at short leg, the fielder having spent the entire day chatting with the left-hander.
(With inputs from PTI)