DHAKA: Ashwin yet again proved why winning a Test in India, let alone a series, has become nearly impossible for the visiting teams in the past four years when his 21st five-wicket haul guided India to a massive 321-run win - their second biggest in terms of margin - over New Zealand in Indore on the fourth day of the third Test on Tuesday.
By virtue of their win in the Indore Test, India completed a 3-0 series whitewash to reclaim the no 1 ranking in the format, reports TOI.
Chasing a massive 475 to win, New Zealand succumbed to Ashwin’s career-best 7/59 and folded for 153 in the final session.
Batting in the fourth innings in Holkar was always going to be a tricky prospect but considering how New Zealand have put up close fights throughout the series should have given them some hope for extending the match to a fifth day.
But, as it turned out, that wasn't the case as Trent Boult gave Ashwin a return catch in the stipulated final over of the day as he finished with his career-best match figures of 13/140.
Before the spinners got into the act, Cheteshwar Pujara shifted gears in the second session to an unbeaten eighth Test century as India declared their second innings at 216/3, thus leaving New Zealand five sessions to save the match.
Pujara scored his first fifty off 98 deliveries and with the declaration looming large, picked up his scoring rate to score next 51 in 50 balls.
The innings was built in typical Pujara fashion - rock solid defense, avoiding risk and full of ground strokes. Gautam Gambhir (50), Virat Kohli (17) and Ajinkya Rahane (23*) were the aggressors and Pujara provided the stability from his end, allowing them to go for quick runs. He kicked up the pace later one, picking boundaries via paddle sweep, late cuts and pull.
When India declared, he finished as the top run-getter with 373 runs at 74.60 with one century and three half-centuries in the series.
But when India took field, it was one-man show as Ashwin took his series tally to 27 wickets and was rightly chosen as the man of the match and man of the series.
BDST: 1938 HRS, OCT 11, 2016
SR/RR
