India vs Windies: 2nd Test - Who Said What

Team India has sealed the two-match Test series against the Windies by 2-0 on the third day itself. The Hyderabad Test moved drastically on the third day as 16 wickets fell and eventually the hosts came out on top which was inevitable the way Windies batted in their second essay. Jason Holder had helped them stage a stunning fightback in the morning but all the hard work went in vain in the end.

After winning the toss, the visitors showed character with the bat and posted 311 runs on the board. Roston Chase’s scintillating century coupled with Holder’s superb batting rode them on which put pressure on the Indian team. However, they found a new hero in Umesh Yadav who ended up picking up six wickets in the first innings. The fast bowler stepped up when the debutant Shardul Thakur was injured and ruled out of the action in the second over of the game itself.

In response, the hosts were expected to pile on the runs with the pitch still looking good. Prithvi Shaw started confidently once again and notched up 70 runs in quick time even as KL Rahul failed. However, quick wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli had left them in trouble at 162/4. But the duo of Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant added 152 runs for the fifth wicket and despite the collapse, they managed to take a crucial lead of 56 runs.

Windies capitulate in the second innings

Windies had an excellent chance of taking a lead of close to 200 runs and then put India under the pressure who haven’t been great chasers in the whites. But Umesh Yadav lit up the stage once again. He started the innings with a wicket off the second ball and went on to add four more to his tally to complete his maiden 10-for in a Test match. The other bowlers also chipped in with the wickets to leave the visitors reeling.

Though Holder and Sunil Ambris resisted for some time, they couldn’t deny the inevitable and were bowled out for 127 runs with only 71 runs in their kitty. The openers, Rahul and Shaw, didn’t make any fuss about the chase and India won the game by ten wickets.

Man of the Series, Prithvi Shaw said:

It was a happy moment for me and finishing the game for India means a lot for me. It is my first series, winning 2-0 and winning the Man of the Series makes it all the more special. Everyone is like a family; there is no senior or junior. It is a great journey and I am looking forward to a lot of it. I don’t know what is happening next, I just want to enjoy this moment.

Man of the Match, Umesh Yadav said:

First of all I would like to thank my teammates for their support. I knew that I was the only fast bowler playing and felt that I had a good chance. I just kept going for wickets and kept trying my best. We are enjoying each other’s company; it is very healthy competition and keep helping each other, playing for each other and for the team.

India captain, Virat Kohli said:

We didn’t expect it to finish in three days in the morning to be honest. WI played really well to put us in a tough situation and getting 56 runs was a bonus after the situation we got ourselves into. We would have liked a much bigger lead, but again with the ball we were clinical and we needed to step up.

At home where we understand the conditions very well, we know how to put the opposition under pressure and how to create that pressure. We thought the game could go onto the fifth day if the teams kept playing the way they did. We were really good today and deserved to win.

If you look at the three guys who’ve come in they’ve grabbed their opportunities really well – Vihari in England, Rishabh has been doing the job wonderfully for us in the middle and Prithvi getting the MoS in his first series was outstanding.

But I would like to single out Umesh. Shardul broke down in the first spell and Umesh deserves what he’s achieved in this game. I am pleased to see how he’s stepped up for us in the absence of Shami and after Shardul got injured. He keeps giving more than 100 percent everytime in the field. We all are happy for him, he’s worked really hard and has waited for his chance to step up for us. He is the standout performer for me in this game as far as I am concerned.

We have a problem of plenty now, Umesh here, the three bowlers who played in England and it is a headache we have. But I am pleased to see these guys. We applied ourselves in India with the bat much better and we’d like to take that ahead as well. The bowlers didn’t get very favourable conditions to bowl in the last game, the batters got runs and the wicket was very flat.

Jinks batted beautifully here, Rishabh batted well with him and it is something we want to see a lot more of when the team is in trouble. I want to thank the crowd as well, they were outstanding and they supported us really well.

Windies captain, Jason Holder said:

A little disappointed with the way we batted in the second innings. After the fightback yesterday we tried to push forward today. But India played commendably and outplayed us. In hindsight a lot of seamers got wicket, Umesh got ten wickets, I got a fifer and maybe an extra seamer would have helped.

We need to give ourselves a better chance with the bat – bat deep after getting set in. Personally I am in a good head space; I am playing good cricket and love playing through aches and pains. I love playing Test cricket.

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