AFP, Mumbai :
India hammered New Zealand by 372 runs to win the second Test on Monday, despite the Black Caps’ Mumbai-born spinner Ajaz Patel making history with 10 wickets in the first innings.
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed a match tally of eight wickets — and 300th scalp on home soil — as the hosts clinched the two-match series 1-0.
Top-ranked New Zealand, who started day four on 140-5 in their chase of an improbable 540, were all out for 167 before lunch in Mumbai.
Ajaz, a left-arm spinner whose name went up on the Wankhede honours board on Saturday after his perfect 10, stood out with match figures of 14-225 — the best ever by a bowler against India.
“It’s a special occasion for me and my family. To be able to do that (10- for) is special,” Ajaz said after the match.
“I’m knackered but I’ll use my quarantine time to recover. It’s a different challenge to bowl back home. That’s the beauty of Test cricket, it’s about adapting your game plan and bowling accordingly.”
New Zealand, who hung on for a draw in the opening match, were undone by their batting after Ajaz’s heroics.
They collapsed to 62 all out in their first innings and were never in the chase against India’s spin force.
Ashwin, who struck three times in the final session on day three, sent back overnight batsman Henry Nicholls, stumped for 44, as the final wicket.
Jayant Yadav bowled Rachin Ravindra for 18, then struck twice in one over and returned career best figures of 4-49.
Daryl Mitchell, who top-scored with 60, was the only bit of resistance for the tourists during his fourth-wicket stand of 73 with Nicholls on Sunday.
Indian opener Mayank Agarwal made 150 in India’s first-innings total of 325 and then top-scored with 62, with the hosts declaring at 276-7 on day three.
India skipper Virat Kohli, who returned to lead the side after he stepped down as national Twenty20 captain and took a short break, lauded the team’s “clinical” showing.
“To come back with a win is a great feeling, returning as the captain it was a clinical performance, something we’ve seen time and again,” said Kohli.
