So, Rahul Dravid collects his first Test series win as Team India head coach. All smiles in the Indian camp as Virat Kohli and Co lift the trophy. It’s been a convincing, dominant victory after coming close in the first Test. Up next for India is the curtailed tour of South Africa, with the first Test starting on Boxing Day. While New Zealand can take time to refresh before the home Test series against Bangladesh in January 2022. We hope you have enjoyed our coverage. Until next time, it’s goodbye, and have a good day!
Virat Kohli, India skipper: To come back with a win again, it’s a great feeling and a clinical performance. You want individuals to step up. The first Test was good, and it was a clinical performance here. We discussed the performance and the opposition played out a good draw. The bowlers tried all they good, but the Kiwi batsmen stuck it out really well in Kanpur.Here there was more bounce and the fast bowlers got assistance as well, so it gave us a better chance to win the Test match on the final day. The mindset is the same to take Indian cricket forward, even with the new management. It’s important to keep the standards of Indian cricket and make sure it’s always growing.”
R Ashwin, Player of the Series: I enjoyed Wankhede honestly, and everyday there was something new, and I could challenge both edges. It was a wonderful performance by Ajaz. It doesn’t spin all the time in Wankhede, and he used the seam and put the ball in the right places, and there was a bit of destiny involved in his 10-for too.””
Mayank Agarwal, Player of the Match: Feels good to be back among the runs and this knock is special for me. I didn’t change anything from Kanpur, I just had the mental discipline and determination. The technique isn’t going to be the best all the time, it won’t guarantee runs, but the will to fight is key.
Tom Latham, New Zealand captain at presentation ceremony: “A disappointing performance. Credit to India, and 62 all-out would have set us back always. You always want to bat first here, and it only gets worse for batting here, and it wasn’t how we wanted it to pan out. Guys are able to step up in different conditions and we have managed to get a lot of depth. Very special game for Ajaz, only the third time in the history of the game has a man got all ten.”
Rahul Dravid, Team India coach: I think it was good to finish the series as winners, came close in Kanpur, not able to get that last wicket, had to work hard here. This result seems one-sided, but right through the series, we were made to work hard. There have been phases where we were behind and had to fight back, credit to the team. Great to see the boys stepping up and taking their opportunities. Yes, we were missing a few senior players. Credit to the guys who came in, Jayant had a difficult day yesterday, but learnt from it today. Mayank, Shreyas, Siraj, who doesn’t get a lot of opportunities. Axar, great to see his development with the bat in addition to what he can do with the ball. It gives us a lot of options as well, helps us become a stronger side.
After 56.3 overs,New Zealand 167/10 ( Ajaz Patel 0 , )
Done and dusted! India clinch yet another Test series on home soil, beating New Zealand convincingly by 372 runs in the second Test in Mumbai. Henry Nicholls is stumped by Wriddhiman Saha off Ashwin’s ball in the third ball of the 57th over, and that is that. India get their first Test series win after Rahul Dravid’s appointment as head coach.
OUT! That’s the match then! Nicholls is stumped by Wriddhiman Saha as Ashwin gives the final blow to NZ. India clinch the Test series 1-0, winning by a huge margin of 372 runs. Nicholls st W Saha b Ashwin 44
OUT! Clean, sharp catch from Mayank Agarwal at forward short leg to get rid of Somerville. Kiwis review this one, but the soft signal is out. Replays show Somerville got an inside edge on a forward defence, and Somerville has to walk back. Somerville c Mayank b Jayant Yadav 1
After 54 overs, New Zealand 165/6 ( Somerville 0, Nicholls 43)
Jayant strikes twice in the 54th over of the chase, getting rid of Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee. It’s just a matter of some time now, before India actually wrap this contest up now. Will Somerville is the new batter but Nicholls (43*) is still hanging in there. Two runs and two wickets.