Ojha's ten-for helps India beat West Indies, take series

Pragyan Ojha's ten-wicket haul in the second Test helped India beat West Indies by an innings and 126 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

Ojha, who finished with just one wicket in the first Test in Kolkata, made amends in Mumbai. The left-arm spinner was introduced into the attack in the 29th over in the first innings and took advantage of the conditions that were on offer. He struck an over later, as Kieron Powell, tried to whip a pitched-up delivery, and chipped it to short leg instead.

His next victim was the experienced Marlon Samuels, who edged a flighted delivery to slip. The visitors were tottering at 140 for 4 by then.

With the batsmen in disarray, India's spinners capitalised. Ojha and R Ashwin struck regularly and dismissed the visitors for just 182. Like they did in Kolkata, India's powerful batting order didn't disappoint here either. Centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma helped the hosts score 495 in reply.

West Indies needed 313 runs to clear the first-innings deficit but their batsmen committed the same mistakes as they did in the first innings.

Ojha and Ashwin were instrumental again and struck at regular intervals. Ojha claimed another five-wicket haul. He dismissed West Indies' talisman Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, captain Darren Sammy, nightwatchman Tino Best and Narsingh Deonarine.

The ten-wicket haul was the first of Ojha's Test career. He is the first left-arm spinner since Venkatapathy Raju, who took 11 for 125 against Sri Lanka in 1994, to take a ten-wicket haul for India.

"I think it's very simple you know," Ojha said. "In a Test match, when a batsman isn't sure about his defence, he wants to go after you and disturb your line and length. I wasn't thinking about what he was doing, I was just thinking about my bowling because I knew there was a lot of bounce in the wicket, and if I keep hitting the right areas, it will be difficult for them."

And Ojha hit the right areas. That the five-for came in Sachin Tendulkar's last match made it more special, Ojha said. "It's a great feeling, getting a five-wicket haul in a special Test match like this. Always, getting a five-wicket haul in a Test match is a special feeling." He dedicated the haul to Tendulkar.