Kolkata, October 3: Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja spun India to an unassailable 2-0 series lead and the No.1 Test ranking, pinning New Zealand down in a riveting see-saw affair, to win the second cricket Test by 178 runs on the fourth day here on Monday.
Chasing a stiff 376-run target, the visitors initially showed grit but then fell to the guile of the Indian slow bowlers once again -- similar to the first Test at Kanpur that they lost by 197 runs -- managing a meagre 197 in their second outing before a turnout of around 12,000 spectators at the Eden Gardens.
India thus reclaimed the numero uno Test team status, which they had enjoyed for a short period while during their tour to the West Indies, by dethroning arch-rivals Pakistan.
In the morning, Man of the Match Wriddhiman Saha struck his second unbeaten half-century to help India post 263. New Zealand had scored 204 in their first essay in reply to India's 316.The tourists started their run chase well, riding on opener Tom Latham's (74 not out; 144 balls, 8x4), his ninth half-century and contributions from Martin Guptill (24) and Henry Nicolls (24) at the top order.
But post lunch, in-form Indian spinners Ashwin (3-82) and Jadeja (3-41) made mischief in tandem, to peg back New Zealand to 135 for three at tea. The visitors collapsed in the last session, losing their remaining seven wickets for only 62 runs.
Mohammed Shami (3-46) joined India's party with his raw pace and swing to shave off the lower order. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-28) claimed the remaining wicket.
Mitchell Santner (9) and B.J. Watling (1) followed suit in quick succession, Shami accounting for both.
Luke Ronchi (32; 60 balls, 4x4) fought briefly before Jadeja accounted for him, castling the 35-year old. Jeetan Patel (2) failed to replicate his first innings form, when he scored a gritty 47, unable to comprehend the reverse swing generated from a good length ball by Buvneshwar.
Matt Henry (18) and Trent Boult (4) were cleaned up by Jadeja and Shami, respectively.
Earlier, India wrested back the initiative in the second session as Ashwin and Jadeja took three wickets to deny the tourists any hope of a fightback. The hosts took 16 overs to get the first breakthrough after the openers had put on 55. Ashwin pitched the ball fuller and it turned in from outside the off stump to catch Martin Guptill (24; 49 b, 3x4) off guard. Taylor conceded that Saha's unbeaten fifties took the game away from them.
"Winning key moments was important. The way Saha came out in both innings when the game was in balance, those two 50s put us on the back foot," he said.
