IND vs WI 2nd Test: KL Rahul's fifty guides India home in Delhi as hosts complete series win

Shubman Gill wins his first Test series as India captain as the hosts inflict a series whitewash (2-0) on the touring West Indies with a seven-wicket win in Delhi on Tuesday (Oct 14). A game that concluded on the final day, a rarity during the home season, saw India complete the moderate run chase early within the first session. Despite losing Sai Sudharsan and Gill, KL Rahul’s unbeaten 58 helped the Indian Team walk away with an easy win and claim their first series win this ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

“It's a big honour (to lead India). It's a really big honour, I'm kind of getting used to it. Managing all the players, leading this team is a great honour. It's about taking the right options in the given situation.

“I try to make the most probable decision in the given situation that we are in that game. And sometimes you have to take a bold decision, depending on which player can get you certain runs or can get you those wickets,” captain Gill said after the game.

Beginning day five with nine wickets and 58 runs remaining for the win, Rahul and Sudharsan took the attack to the opposition, hitting bad balls for fours and defending the good ones. Although they succeeded in doing so for the longest time possible, West Indies captain Roston Chase broke the stand by removing Sai, caught in the first slip. His counterpart Gill, who smoked a six and a four in his brief stay, also got out to Chase as he miscued one straight to the mid-wicket area.

This win, however, also marks birthday boy Gautam Gambhir’s first Test series victory as a head coach this season, and first since beating Bangladesh at home last season.

“It feels really great to be honest. After a good series where we gave them a fight (in England), coming back to India and winning the series is special. I've learned a lot in these five games and I'm looking forward to improving on that, and obviously giving a bit more for the team,” said Sudharsan, who scored 87 and 39 in two innings against West Indies in the Delhi Test.

Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kuldeep Yadav were India’s best players in this match. While Jaiswal completed his sixth Test hundred, hitting a brilliant 175 in the first innings, Kuldeep won the Player of the Year award for his eight wickets, including a five-for in the first.

“This was a totally different wicket. Bowling a lot of overs was the challenge here; I enjoyed bowling here. There wasn't any drift here. The wicket was too dry. Bowling a lot of overs and getting the breakthrough is something I enjoy a lot,” Kuldeep said of his performance.