Whispers about March 2001 briefly did the rounds. The key characters of that epochal day — V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid — were again present at the Eden Gardens but this time as alert fielders and not as men wielding miracle-bats. And as the West Indies middle-order displayed resilience, Laxman and Dravid's decade-old ambush of the Australians was dredged back and the host broadcaster beamed that scorecard.
In the end they were all red herrings as the West Indies' revival never materialised and India won by an innings and 15 runs with a day to spare in the second Test that concluded here on Thursday. Darren Bravo (136), Marlon Samuels (84) and skipper Darren Sammy's (32) efforts were all lost in the massive shadow of India's 478-run first innings lead and the West Indies' second innings halted at 463.
Unassailable lead
India secured the three-match series with an unassailable 2-0 lead ahead of the final Test that will commence in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Laxman, who has the key to this historical venue, won the Man-of-the-Match award for his unbeaten 176 that deflated the visitors.
The match's culmination was hastened by a post-lunch medley of quick runs and a rapid fall of wickets — 124 for six from 28.3 overs — that erased the West Indies' dreams of making India bat again and hope for the improbable. The stumble was a marked contrast to a productive first session that yielded 144 runs for the loss of just one wicket in 36 overs when Bravo reigned.
Pleasant morning
Resuming at the overnight 195 for three and still needing 283 runs to make India bat again, the West Indies enjoyed a pleasant morning with Bravo (136, 230b, 16x4, 4x6) and Chanderpaul (47) stretching their fourth-wicket partnership to 108 runs. The southpaws sported a relaxed air on a pitch that eased up while the Indian bowlers tried too hard to make an impact.
The partnership had its share of pauses and panic. R. Ashwin again had Chanderpaul rooted on his back leg, with a dented pad and within the crease but the appeal proved futile. Minutes later, Bravo (on 54) drove Ishant Sharma and took off for a single but Chanderpaul refused to budge. An on-the-run Gautam Gambhir from mid-on messed up the throw to M.S. Dhoni and Bravo found refuge in his crease.
India sensed an opportunity when Umesh Yadav (four for 80) cleaned up Chanderpaul's stumps but was forced to look beyond lunch for another breakthrough moment as Samuels and Bravo began their 132-run fifth-wicket partnership. Samuels was tentative in the beginning before regaining his batting acumen while Bravo's drives through the off-side were a delight.
Second hundred
Bravo's second Test hundred was pocketed with a steer off Yadav and as he leapt and celebrated, the mannerism much like some of his shots evoked images of his celebrated relative — Brian Lara.
Bravo, however, could not replicate Lara's appetite for mammoth knocks and fell after lunch. A dismissal seemed imminent after his inside-edge on to the pads and in to Gautam Gambhir's palms at short-leg was deemed innocent by umpire Bruce Oxenford while Pragyan Ojha fumed. That reprieve on 119 did not prove costly for the Indians as Bravo subsequently poked at Ojha's straighter one and Dravid took a sharp catch at first slip.
Dravid, who before that had effected a smart save at third-man to freeze Samuels's attempt to trickle a four, was again in the scheme of things. Carlton Baugh lunged forward and watched Ojha's delivery graze the bat and head towards Dravid's extreme right but the veteran dived sideways and caught well.
The fall was truly on when Ashwin trapped Samuels. The rest keeled over though Sammy smashed three sixes before the West Indies skipper and Devendra Bishoo became mute witnesses to Yadav's animosity towards the stumps.
Scoreboard
India — 1st innings: 631 for seven decl.
West Indies — 1st innings: 153.
West Indies — 2nd innings: A. Barath c Laxman b Ishant 62 ( 105b, 10x4 ), K. Brathwaite c Dhoni b Yadav 9 ( 15b, 1x4 ), K. Edwards lbw b Ishant 60 ( 128b, 6x4, 1x6 ), D. Bravo c Dravid b Ojha 136 ( 230b, 16x4, 4x6 ), S. Chanderpaul b Yadav 47 ( 94b, 6x4 ), M. Samuels lbw b Ashwin 84 ( 111b, 13x4, 1x6 ), C. Baugh c Dravid b Ojha 3 ( 19b ), D. Sammy b Yadav 32 ( 28b, 1x4, 3x6 ), K. Roach b Ashwin 1 ( 13b ), F. Edwards (not out) 15 ( 15b, 3x4 ), D. Bishoo b Yadav 0 ( 1b ), Extras (b-9, lb-4, w-1): 14; Total (in 126.3 overs): 463.
Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Brathwaite), 2-116 (Barath), 3-161 (Edwards), 4-269 (Chanderpaul), 5-401 (Bravo), 6-411 (Baugh), 7-417 (Samuels), 8-421 (Roach), 9-463 (Sammy).
India bowling: Yadav 17.3-1-80-4, Ishant 25-4-95-2, Ojha 32-5-104-2, Ashwin 40-4-137-2, Yuvraj 3-0-14-0, Sehwag 9-2-20-0.
