North Sound (Antigua), July 24: India's supremacy remained unrivalled as they rode on Ravichandran Ashwin's 7/83 to outplay the West Indies by an innings and 92 runs, their biggest win outside Asia, in a lopsided first cricket Test to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series here on Sunday(July 24).
Ashwin produced an off-spin bowling masterclass and triggered a second-innings slide that saw the hosts collapse from 88/2 to 132/8 on the fourth and penultimate day.
A defiant ninth-wicket stand of 95, West Indies' highest in the game, between Carlos Brathwaite (51 not out) and Devendra Bishoo (45) delayed the inevitable before Ashwin came back to seal the issue by bowling the hosts out for 231.
This is India's sixth win in their last seven Test matches from August 24, 2015!#WIvInd
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 24, 2016
This was also the Tamil Nadu spinner's first five-wicket haul outside the Asian continent. India bowled out the West Indies for 243 in their first innings, having amassed 566 for eight declared after opting to bat.
Forced to follow-on after conceding a massive lead of 323, the hosts failed to cope up with intense pressure created by Ashwin and Co on a pitch that offered assistance to slow bowlers.
At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the visitors shot out the hosts in three hours over the post lunch and tea session to finish their two innings at 243 and 231. After tea, Brathwaite reached his third Test fifty, but the rest of the innings folded in just over 40 minutes.
Bishoo hit straight to midwicket off Ashwin in the 78th over, and three balls later bowled Shannon Gabriel (4) to wrap up the proceedings with a day to spare.
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Post lunch, it was an extended session of play which proved enough for India to force a win. But first they had to break through the 67-run partnership between Rajendra Chandrika (31) and Marlon Samuels (50). The two batsmen began again in the same vein, trying to play for time, and in doing so, the latter crossed the 50-mark off 74 balls raising hopes of a fight back.
Out of 44 - 200+ scores by Indians in Tests, Virat Kohli's 200 is the 17th to be made in a winning cause. #WIvIND
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 24, 2016
But it was short-lived as Chandrika had a faint inside-edge off Ashwin in the 36th over, judged accurately by the umpire and caught on the third attempt by Wriddhiman Saha. It started the slide for West Indies and the off-spinner barged into the opening he had found.
In the very next over, he removed Jermaine Blackwood (0) for a second duck in the match, with skipper Virat Kohli holding a magnificent diving catch at midwicket to aid in the dismissal.
Then came the best moment for Ashwin, as a beautiful delivery beat Samuels' straight bat and knocked back his off-stump in the 42nd over.
Samuels raced on quickly thereafter and looked more comfortable at the crease as time passed, as did Chandrika at the other end.
About 40 minutes were left for lunch when rain intervened and cut short the session. Despite the shower passing by, the umpires called for an early lunch to allow for the ground staff to prepare the field for resumption.
Meanwhile Ashwin, who recorded his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests, ran through the West Indies batting line-up after Samuels and Chandrika defied India in the first session.
Thumping win for India. Near flawless performance. Ashwin & Kohli stellar performers but entire bowling attack coming good is biggest gain..
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) July 24, 2016
Chandrika's dismissal four overs after the lunch break, taken early due to a short spell of rain, triggered a slide from which the hosts failed to recover.
The opener's dismissal was followed by those of Jermaine Blackwood, who had a pair in the match, Samuels, debutant Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich and skipper Jason Holder as West Indies slumped to 132 for eight.
PTI