Virat Kohli continues the tradition; hands over the series trophy to KS Bharat

Team India continued their imperious run at home in the just-concluded historic Pink ball day-night Test when they made short work of the Bangladesh tail on the third afternoon. Coming into the third day, it was all about the number of overs the Indian bowlers would take to wrap up the proceedings. And, it all got over in the blink of an eye as Bangladesh were bowled out for 195 runs.

Once Mushfiqur Rahim was gone and Mahmudullah declared as unfit to take any further part in the Test match, it was really about which of the two- Umesh Yadav or Ishant Sharma- would go on and complete a five-wicket haul. In the end, it was the Vidarbha express- Umesh Yadav- who got rid of Al-Amin to claim his fifth over and bring up a commanding win by an innings & 46 runs.

Naturally, it was all smiles in the Indian camp. Ishant Sharma was duly awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ and ‘Player of the series’. But the moment of the day really came when Virat Kohli handed over the winners trophy to uncapped wicketkeeper KS Bharat. It’s been a tradition for a time now when the youngest member of the side is given the winners’ trophy and allowed to take center stage; a tradition championed by MS Dhoni and duly taken forward by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

India will end the year undefeated

By virtue of their latest win, Team India became the first side to win four Test matches by an innings margin. This was also India’s seventh consecutive win at home- the most for any side representing this great country- besides being their sixth win on the trot- a streak which really should have been eight if only the Sydney weather had held up during the Men in Blue’s triumphant tour of Australia last winter. This also means that Kohli’s men will end the year undefeated and also this decade as the most successful side at home.

In the 50 Tests that India played at home in the decade (2010-2019), the Men in Blue won 37 and lost just four; a W/L ratio of 9.250. 

This is #TeamIndia's 7 straight Test win in a row, which is our longest streak 🙌💪😎#PinkBallTest @Paytm pic.twitter.com/Lt2168Qidn

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 24, 2019