new delhi: The formalities took just about an hour to complete as India defeated West Indies by seven wickets in the second and final Test here on Tuesday for a 2-0 series sweep during which the markedly superior hosts were tested only towards the end.
Besides reaffirming India’s home supremacy, the triumph will also go down as Shubman Gill’s first series victory as India’s Test captain.
Needing just 58 runs to reach the target of 121, KL Rahul (58 not out off 108 balls), with Dhruv Jurel for company (6 not out) completed the task in 35.2 overs on the final day of the game. Rahul hit six fours and two sixes, adding 79 with Sai Sudharsan (39) for the second wicket.
While the second Test dragged into the fifth morning -- largely because of the resistance from centurions John Campbell (115) and Shai Hope (103), and a dogged 10th-wicket stand -- the Feroz Shah Kotla track offered little assistance to spinners, remaining low and slow throughout.
Across two Tests, Indian bowlers claimed all 40 opposition wickets, with pacers contributing admirably on unhelpful surfaces and spinners showing patience when conditions turned docile at the Kotla.
For Indian batters, there were five centuries and a near-90 among the top six across two matches. “I am getting used to managing this side. Sometimes you have to take bold decisions,” said a beaming Gill.
Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was adjudged the Player of the Match for his haul of eight wickets in the game, including a first-innings fifer, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was deservedly the Player
of the Series.