NZ VS IND TESTS

Right then, it's time to unplug New Zealand's tour of India. It wasn't a fruitful one for the Kiwis after the high of the T20 World Cup but India managed to step into the Rahul Dravid era with a bang. The Indian team had issues with their batting (middle order) that they would like to sort out before their tour of South Africa. As far as New Zealand are concerned, they will return home and host Bangladesh in a Test series. The other cricketing action will continue and until we meet again, it's goodbye from us. Cheers!

Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, says it was a clinical performance, the first Test was also good but this was very clinical. States they discussed the areas where they can improve on after the first Test match but also feels that the pitch in Kanpur didn't assist the bowlers much on the final day and the New Zealand batters stuck it out. Further says that the wicket at the Wankhede Stadium had more bite and pace and assisted the bowlers. On his new alliance with Rahul Dravid, Kohli replies that the previous management did a great job and the mindset remains the same to take Indian cricket forward. Regarding the upcoming tour, Kohli says that South Africa will be a tough challenge and reminds us that on their last tour to that region, they got the mentality that they can win abroad. Feels that they are a better-experienced team now and the knowledge of the conditions will help them.

RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN IS THE MAN OF THE SERIES! Starts by saying that he knows this is his 10th Man of the Series award in Tests. Adds that he enjoyed the wicket, it had more bite in the morning but slowed down as the game went on and run-scoring became easier in the evening. Terms it a wonderful surface and he has always loved bowling here. Credits the way Ajaz Patel bowled and it was wonderful to watch as he put the right-handers under huge pressure. Mentions that spin bowling is an art that needs evolution and time, and Axar Patel will learn a lot in due course. Mentions he is looking forward to the series in South Africa and wants a series win there. Also tells that Virat Kohli is always in good form in South Africa and he is looking forward to seeing him and Cheteshwar Pujara score runs.

MAYANK AGARWAL IS THE MAN OF THE MATCH! Says that it feels good to be back among the runs and it was a special knock. Adds that he didn't do anything different and it was all about the game plans and having mental discipline. Shares that Rahul Dravid told him not to think about the technique mid-series and stick to a solid mindset. Adds that Sunil Gavaskar advised him to try to keep his bat low in the initial period. Smiles and says that he is really happy with the performance and is looking forward to the challenge in South Africa.

Tom Latham, the captain of New Zealand, says that it was a disappointing performance and credits India for the way they played. Adds that he always knew it was going to be tough, they did well in the first Test but were poor in the second. Feels that the toss played a big role as you always want to bat first in such conditions but he is pleased with the way his bowlers toiled in the first innings. Mentions selection was tough coming into this game but that is a good thing for them. On Ajaz Patel's 10-wicket feat, Latham replies that it was a historic moment and for the whole squad, to be a part of it, was amazing. Informs that a couple of Test matches back home are lined up against Bangladesh and they will have to start preparing for it.

Presentation coming up...

Rahul Dravid, the head coach of India, comes up for a chat. Says that it's good to win the series but they had to work hard for it. Adds that there were phases when they were behind and had to fight through. Mentions that it's great to see the boys stepping up and credits them for showing up in the absence of some senior players. Praises Jayant Yadav for his bowling this morning and correcting his mistakes. He is very happy with the development of Axar Patel, especially with the bat. Tells us that the new boys are offering a lot of options to them. Regarding enforcing the follow-on, Dravid replies that they had a lot of time left in the game, so they didn't think about it, as there were youngsters in their team, and they wanted to give them the opportunity to test themselves on this pitch - things they might experience going ahead. On the selection headaches, Dravid replies that it's a very good situation to be in and tells that they have to manage the workload of their players and ensure to get their best XI. Tells that there is a great depth in the squad and there is a lot of desire. Admits that at times they will have to take tough decisions but they need to make sure to have clear communication with the players.

Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel are up for a chat. The latter says it is a special occasion for him and his family and to do that in Mumbai is very special. Adds he is quite sore but he has a lot of time to recover now. Ravindra says he is delighted to share space with the great man next to him and what he did was brilliant. On being asked about the catch that gave Ajaz his 10th wicket, Rachin replies that he was very nervous under the high ball, he saw his teammates celebrating and he felt the pressure. Patel mentions he enjoyed his time here, it was about adjusting to the conditions that are quite different from home. Tells that he is very grateful for the love people have shown, it is overwhelming and it will take time to sink in.

Shreyas Iyer says that it was a memorable series for him and shares that he saw the hall of fame board at the Wankhede Stadium and his name will come there. Adds that there are so many good players around and the competition is stiff so he just needs to perform and seize the opportunity. On Rahul Dravid, Shreyas says that he is very good at giving confidence and his work ethic is great. He is very happy to be working with him. Concludes by saying that he is looking forward to a much-needed 5-day break.

Jayant Yadav starts by saying that it was a nice pitch to bowl on and the morning conditions helped. Adds that there was much more bite and they just needed to bowl in the good areas. Shares that the Wankhede Stadium has a special memory for him, he scored a hundred last time and almost got a fifer this time around. Tells that playing with Ravichandran Ashwin is great and it's useful to feed off Ashwin's mind as he thinks of the game in a different way and it's a great learning curve for him.

Jayant Yadav and Shreyas Iyer come up for a chat...

All said and done, despite the result going against New Zealand, this Test match will be best remembered for Ajaz Patel's 10-wicket haul in an innings - one of the rarest feats to achieve in cricket. In the city of dreams, a Mumbai-born man created history for New Zealand and will always cherish this Test match that etched his name in the elite company of Jim Laker and Anil Kumble.

As we mentioned, it was a tricky surface, more challenging than the one in Kanpur. The Indian batting lost path but it was Mayank Agarwal who held the fort in the first innings and through his awe-inspiring knock and handy contributions from the lower order, India ended up getting quite a decent total. Thereafter, it was all about the Indian bowlers who dominated in the first innings with the spinners finishing things off that Mohammed Siraj started. The hosts didn't enforce the follow-on considering the challenges of batting last on this pitch and batted the second time with a lot of control. Mayank again got runs and the others also chipped in to set a hefty target of 540 runs for the Kiwis. Only Daryl Mitchell and Henry Nicholls put up some kind of a fight as Ashwin and Jayant ruled the roost with 8 combined wickets.

It's always tough for a team to bounce back after getting shot out for just 62 in an innings of a Test match, more so, on Indian soil. New Zealand suffered that fate and were never in contention. Unlike the first Test match, their batting didn't show the same kind of spark and character when put under pressure on a tricky surface. The end result was always known once they conceded a big lead and India put out a professional bowling display to achieve victory on Day 4.

All over! That was inevitable. It was only a matter of time. India didn't waste much time in picking the remaining 5 wickets and have pocketed the series, and more importantly, added 12 points in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 points table to strengthen their position. Happy faces in the Indian camp, it was a very dominating performance from them as they registered their biggest win in Test cricket (by runs).

OUT! STUMPED! There it is, there is the last wicket. INDIA WIN BY A MASSIVE 372 RUNS! Ashwin bags the last wicket. Floats it up. Nicholls comes down the track, he does not get to the pitch of the ball. Still goes for the big shot. He misses as the ball turns away. Saha collects and whips the bails off. Ashwin gets his 4th and India, along with the game, win the series too.

Outside off, left alone.

Angled into the pads, Nicholls looks to flick but misses to get hit on the pads.