Kohli, Dhoni star in Test series win for India

BANGALORE, India - Agence France-Presse

India survived a mini collapse to sweep the series against a fighting New Zealand with a five-wicket victory on the penultimate day of the second and final Test in Bangalore yesterday.

The host slipped from 152-2 to 166-5 before achieving its 261-run target in the final session, thanks to a 96-run stand between man-of-the-match Virat Kohli (51 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (48 not out) under pressure.

India won the opening Test by an innings and 115 runs in Hyderabad.

New Zealand fought well as it twice neutralized India’s advantage to storm back into the match before Dhoni and Kohli steered their team home, much to the delight of the 15,000 spectators. 

The Indian captain finished the match with a six over mid-wicket off off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who took three wickets. Dhoni hit two sixes and three fours, while Kohli cracked nine fours.

The 2-0 win in India’s first series after the retirement of batting stars Rahul Dravid and Venkatsai Laxman augured well for the team ahead of tougher home assignments against England and Australia, which play four Tests each this season.

India’s Test image also got a boost, especially after a dismal overseas run in the past 12 months which saw the country crash to eight successive defeats, four each in England and Australia.