Skipper Virat Kohli was on Tuesday presented with the ICC Test Championship mace as India were officially crowned the number one side after their 3-0 thrashing of New Zealand. India, who had reclaimed the top spot in the world Test rankings after taking an unassailable 2-0 series lead in Kolkata, won the third and final Test by 321 runs Tuesday to consolidate their position.
Batting legend and ICC Hall of Famer Sunil Gavaskar presented Kohli with the mace on behalf of the International Cricket Council at Indore's Holkar Stadium. Kohli was only the second India captain after Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the 10th overall to receive the mace since its introduction in 2001.
The others are Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Steve Smith (Australia), Andrew Strauss (England), Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla (South Africa) and Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan). India are now four points in the ratings above arch-rivals Pakistan, who enjoyed the top spot only briefly after Misbah received the mace last month in Lahore. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed seven wickets to lead India's whitewash of New Zealand as the hosts romped to a 321-run victory on day four of the third and final Test on Tuesday.
Ashwin with career-best match figures of 13-140 helped India skittle out the visitors, who were chasing a daunting 475-run target, for 153 in under two sessions of play at Indore. Ashwin, the highest wicket-taker in the three Tests with 27 scalps, was named both man of the match and player of the series. New Zealand, whitewashed in India for the second successive time after their 2-0 loss in 2012, suffered an early blow when Umesh Yadav trapped opener Tom Latham lbw for six.
The visitors took tea on 38 for one but lost nine more wickets in the final session of play. It was the fourth time in a row that he had dismissed the Black Caps' star batsman, who missed the second Test due to a viral infection. Ross Taylor showed some aggressive intent with 32 off 25 balls including five fours and a six, but did not last long before he was bowled by another Ashwin turner.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja soon joined forces with Ashwin to dash New Zealnd's hopes of surviving the day after getting the all-important wickets of Martin Guptill and James Neesham. Ashwin then disposed of the tail as the hosts celebrated their 3-0 series triumph.
Earlier in the day, a century by Cheteshwar Pujara had put the hosts on course to set New Zealand a daunting victory target at India's newest Test venue, Indore's Holkar Stadium. Pujara struck an unbeaten 101 as India, who started the day on 18 without loss, declared their second innings on 216 for three in the afternoon session. Pujara, who recorded his eight Test hundred, put on 76 for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir (50).
"I've got a few Man of the Match awards, so have the boys. This is much more special. The last time India got the mace, I was watching on TV," said a delighted Kohli. "The key right now is maintaining our game. We're working really hard on the areas needing improvement and we've been able to correct the wrongs quickly and we'd like to continue that and give the people what they want to see." India had replaced Australia at the top of the rankings after their series win against the West Indies in August, only to be leapfrogged by Pakistan later.
"The number-one ranking has changed hands three times in as many months, indicative of the current competitiveness of Test cricket," ICC chief executive Dave Richardson was quoted as saying in a release.
Scoreboard India 1st innings: 557 for five declared (V. Kohli 211, A. Rahane 188, R. Sharma 51 not out) New Zealand 1st innings: 299 (M. Guptill 72, J. Neesham 71; R. Ashwin 6-81)
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India 2nd innings: overnight 18/0
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M. Vijay run out 19
G. Gambhir c Guptill b Patel 50
C. Pujara not out 101
V. Kohli lbw b Patel 17
A. Rahane not out 23
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Extras: (b4, lb1, w1) 6
Total: (3 wkts dec; 49 overs) 216
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Fall of wickets: 0-11* (Gambhir, retired not out, 2.5 overs), 1-34 (Vijay), 2-110 (Gambhir), 3-158 (Kohli)
Bowling: Boult 7-0-35-0, Patel 14-0-56-2, Santner 17-1-71-0, Henry 7-1-22-0 (1w), Neesham 4-0-27-0
Did not bat: R. Sharma, R. Ashwin, W. Saha, R. Jadeja, M. Shami, U. Yadav.
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New Zealand 2nd innings:
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T. Latham lbw b Yadav 6
M. Guptill lbw b Jadeja 29
K. Williamson lbw b Ashwin 27
R. Taylor b Ashwin 32
L. Ronchi b Ashwin 15
J. Neesham c Kohli b Jadeja 0
B.J. Watling not out 23
M. Santner b Ashwin 14
J. Patel b Ashwin 0
M. Henry c Shami b Ashwin 0
T. Boult c & b Ashwin 4
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Extras: (b2, nb1) 3
Total: (all out; 44.5 overs) 153
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