Nagpur, Nov 23: The Indian bowlers, led by Ishant Sharma (3-15) and Harbhjan Singh (3-56), set up an impressive win for their side as India won the three match Test series against New Zealand 1-0. With New Zealand bowled out for a modest score of 175 in their second innings, the Indians stormed home by a whopping margin of an innings and 198 runs

The New Zealand batsmen began Day four with the knowledge that they would have to bat out a large part of today and tomorrow if they were to harbor any hope of drawing this game. What was required on their part was a mix of tenacity and grit, coupled with a little bit of luck. Instead the Kiwi batsmen, having fought impressively in the previous two Test matches, surrendered rather tamely today.

First to depart was Brendon McCullum (25), trapped plumb in front of the wicket by Pragyan Ojha, the left-arm spinner accounting for Martin Guptill (0) in a similar fashion in his very next over. Gareth Hopkins (8), playing the role of night-watchman, tried to use his feet to negate the spin but only ended up offering a sharp catch to Gautam Gambhir at short-leg off Harbhajan Singh’s bowling. By then, New Zealand had lost three wickets in the first hour of play itself.

Ross Taylor (29) tried to sweep his way out of the pressure imposed by the Indian spinners, and even managed to get the ball to cross the boundary on a couple of occasions, but was given out caught at short-leg off Harbhajan’s bowling by umpire Nigel Llong, in what can only be termed a controversial decision. The replays suggested that the ball had gone off the pad.

MS Dhoni then made a couple of bowling changes that paid immediate dividends, Ishant Sharma getting rid of Kane Williamson (8) and Suresh Raina accounting for Jesse Ryder (22) and Daniel Vettori (13) in his first two overs of the day. New Zealand went into lunch at 140/8, having lost seven wickets in the first session.

After lunch, Tim Southee and Andy McKay struck some big shots and put on a 51-run partnership that delayed India’s tryst with victory. However, captain Dhoni once again made an inspired bowling change by replacing Pragyan Ojha with Ishant Sharma and the Delhi fast bowler immediately put an end to New Zealand’s misery by knocking off the wickets of Tim Southee (31) and Chris Martin (0) off his first two deliveries of that spell. A clinical bowling performance by the Indian bowlers, that had the Kiwis dismissed for 175, accordingly paved the way for a series win for the number one Test team in the world.

Brief Scores – India 1st innings 566/8 decl. (Rahul Dravid 191, MS Dhoni 98, Daniel Vettori 3-178) beat New Zealand 1st innings 193 (Jesse Ryder 59, Ishant Sharma 4-43) and New Zealand 2nd innings 175 (Tim Southee 31, Ishant Sharma 3-15, Harbhajan Singh 3-56, Suresh Raina 2-1, Pragyan Ojha 2-67) by an innings and 198 runs

Man-of-the-match– Rahul Dravid for his impressive knock of 191 runs that set India up for victory.

Man-of-the-series– Harbhajan Singh for his all-round performance of 315 runs and 10 wickets in the series.