Australia and New Zealand on the receiving end of India's biggest Test triumphs

Denzil Pinto 21:34 06/10/2018
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  • Routine victory: India were too strong for West Indies. Image: BCCI Twitter

    It was a historic day for India as they registered their biggest-ever Test win following their innings and 272-run thrashing of the West Indies on Saturday.

    In Rajkot, the hosts were all out for 196 in their second innings on the third day after being forced to follow-on having been dismissed for 181 in their response to India’s 649-9 declared.

    Here, we look at India’s previous biggest Test wins

    BEAT AFGHANISTAN BY AN INNINGS AND 262 RUNS

    JUNE 2018, BANGALORE

    It was only four months ago when Afghanistan were given a ruthless welcome to Test cricket. India, without skipper Virat Kohli who was rested for the one-off game, were simply too good in all departments as they celebrated a victory inside two days. Shikhar Dhawan  top-scored with 107 with Murali Vijay (105) also hitting a ton, while fifties from KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya saw India post 474 in their first innings. Afghanistan had a torrid time at the crease, bowled out twice in a single day with scores of 109 and 103.

    BEAT BANGLADESH BY AN INNINGS AND 239 RUNS

    MAY 2007, DHAKA

    After the first match was drawn in Chittagong, India raised the bar. Their four top-order batsmen Dinesh Karthik (129), Wasim Jaffer (138), Rahul Dravid (129) and Sachin Tendulkar (122 not out) all struck centuries as they put the Bangladeshi bowlers to the sword. They declared on a mammoth 610-3 and from then on, there was no way back for Bangladesh. Zaheer Khan took 5-34 as Tigers were out for 118 and while they fared better with 253 in the second, they were outclassed.

    Indian cricket team captain Rahul Dravid

    BEAT SRI LANKA BY AN INNINGS AND 239 RUNS

    NOVEMBER 2017, NAGPUR

    Sri Lanka’s total of 205 was always going to be below-par and the Indians made them pay big time. Vijay (128), Cheteshwar Pujara (143) and Rohit Sharma (102 not out) reached triple figures, but the spotlight was on captain Kohli as he racked up his fifth double hundred with India declaring on 610-6. Ravichandran Ashwin then matched his four-wickets from the first innings to finish the game with eight scalps as Sri Lanka were out for 166.

    BEAT AUSTRALIA BY AN INNINGS AND 219 RUNS

    MARCH 1998, KOLKATA

    Even with the likes of Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and the Waugh brothers, the Aussies were on the receiving end of a thrashing 20 years ago. Steve Waugh top-scored with 80 as the Baggy Greens were bowled out for 233. Warne was one of  two bowlers to go wicketless as the hosts took charge. VVS Laxman (95), Navjot Sidhu (97), Tendulkar (79), Dravid (86) and Sourav Ganguly (65) all reached fifties as captain Mohammad Azharuddin scored a superb unbeaten 163 before he declared on 633-5. Anil Kumble was the wrecker-in-chief, taking five wickets as the Aussies were out for 181.

    Mohammad Azharuddin (c) scored a century for India

    Mohammad Azharuddin (c) scored a century for India

    NOVEMBER 2010, NAGPUR

    BEAT NEW ZEALAND BY AN INNINGS AND 198 RUNS

    Nagpur was the venue again as this time New Zealand were the victims. The Kiwis got off to torrid start with Jesse Ryder (59) one of four players to reach double figures in their first innings score of 193. While India got off to a flying start with openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir hitting fifties, Dravid produced a masterclass innings of 191 that propelled them to 566-8d. The tourists fared even worse with the bat, bowled out for 175 in 50 overs as Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh claimed three each.

    Gautam Gambhir (second right) scored a fifty

    Gautam Gambhir (second right) scored a fifty

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