Virat Kohli’s No 1 ranked side set a new Indian record for most consecutive Test match victories after completing a comprehensive win by an innings and 46 runs against Bangladesh in Kolkata on Sunday.
Resuming the third day at 152/6 in their second innings, still needing 89 runs to avoid an innings defeat, Bangladesh folded for 195/9 in the first session. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma shared the nine wickets to fall in the Bangladesh second innings with the former taking a five-wicket haul and the latter finishing with nine wickets in the match.
With Mahmudullah not coming out to bat after walking away due to a hamstring injury, India won the match in the first hour of day three. Rahim top-scored for Bangladesh with 74.
Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah, who retired hurt on 39 with a hamstring strain, put on 69 runs for the fifth wicket to offer some resistance against a persistent Indian pace attack. But Ishant and Umesh relentless with their pressure, India took little time to wrap things up.
All 19 Bangladesh wickets that fell in the match were taken by Indian pacers.
This was also the first instance of a team winning four consecutive Tests by an innings margin. And India extended their own world record with the 12th-straight Test series triumph on home soil.
India took 8.4 overs to wrap up the game at Eden Gardens with Umesh taking all the three wickets to fall Sunday afternoon.
Ishant led the pace charge with impressive match figures of 9/78 to flatten the Bangladesh batting that fell for 106 in their first innings of the opening day.
“With the way these guys are bowling now, they can pick up wickets on any surface – whether we play at home or we play away,” a victorious Kohli said. “I think it is all about the mindset... these guys are very hungry, they are at the top of their game.”
“I feel that we are in the right kind of space right now to capitalise on opportunities and everyone is enjoying playing in this team and I think that’s the standout feature about us.”
Earlier on day two, Kohli aced the pink ball test as he completed his 27th Test century before falling to a stunning catch by Taijul.
Left-arm spinner Taijul made it count with a wicket of Ajinkya Rahane for 51 and then took a diving catch at fine leg to send back Kohli off paceman Ebadat Hossain.
India lost a few quick wickets, but Wriddhiman Saha and Shami knocked a few boundaries and a six by the last man in pulverised the Bangladesh bowlers.
Pacemen Al-Amin Hossain and Ebadat took three wickets each.
In the end, it was a memorable pink-ball international debut for India as Kohli’s men consolidated their top position in the world Test championship with three successive series sweeps.
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