Mumbai: For the second time in history, a Test match ended in a dramatic draw with the scores level, after India finished on 242 for 9 at the end of a thrilling fifth day’s play at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India won the three-match series 2-0.
Ravichandran Ashwin suffered a last-ball heart attack as he was run out on the final delivery of the match. India needed two runs from the last ball to complete a series whitewash but were denied a win with some a slow reaction from Ashwin. With India on 240 for 8, Ashwin started off slowly and turned even slower to be found meters short of his crease, never looking close to completing the second.
The only other time in the history of Test cricket that a match ended in a draw with the scores level, was in 1996 in Bulawayo, when England fell short of beating Zimbabwe. Earlier, India were on course for a series whitewash against West Indies and needed 95 more runs in the final session to wrap up victory.
After being bowled out in quick time in the morning session, West Indies' morale were lifted in the second session as offspinner Marlon Samuels and legspinner Devendra Bishoo shared three wickets to revive victory hopes.
India seemed to be crusing toward victory during an 82-run stand between Virender Sehwag (60) and Rahul Dravid (33) before the team lost three quick wickets to slip from 101 for 1 to 113 for 4. Sehwag made the most of three chances he got, smashing eight fours during his 65-ball knock. He finally fell when attempting a reverse-paddle sweep off Bishoo only to miscue it to Darren Sammy at short fine-leg. Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar (3) then fell in similar fashion, caught at midwicket off Samuels.
Earlier, spinners Pragyan Ojha and Ashwin forced forced a dramatic collapse as the West Indies lost eight wickets for 53 runs before lunch to be bowled out for 134. Left-arm spinner Ojha finished with 6 for 47 and offspinner Ashwin bagged 4 for 34, taking advantage of some irresponsible batting by West Indies, who went for their shots on a pitch affording turn.
The spin pair took four wickets each to revive a game that had seemed to be drifting toward a draw after West Indies scored 590 in its first innings and India replied with 482.
Kraigg Brathwaite and first-innings centurion Darren Bravo added 61 for the third wicket, the only notable partnership in the innings, but Braithwaite's dismissal in the fifth over of the morning opened the floodgates.
Ojha took a return catch to get rid of other Bravo for 48. Samuels was out four deliveries later when he jumped out to the pitch of the ball and was stumped without scoring. Ashwin joined in the party by trapping left-hander Kieran Powell lbw for 11 and Carlton Baugh gave away his wicket when he went for a big drive against the spin and was bowled for one.
West Indies lost their last eight wickets for 43 runs as Bravo, Samuels, Carlton Baugh, Ravi Rampaul and Sammy all got out trying to play attacking shots against the Indian spinners.
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