Photographs: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni bailed India out with an unbroken 96-run stand that took the hosts to a five-wicket victory in the second and final Test for a clean sweep in the series against New Zealand on Monday.
Off-spinner Jeetan Patel picked three wickets as India were reduced to 166 for five at one stage, chasing 261 for victory, before Kohli (51 not out) and Dhoni (48 not out) came together to guide their team home.
PHOTOS: India vs New Zealand, Bangalore Test (Day Four)
Photographs: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
The 23-year-old Kohli, who scored 103 in the first innings, defended resolutely at the start, became more fluent as his innings progressed and got to his half century with three boundaries in an over off paceman Tim Southee.
Captain Dhoni was the more attacking of the two and finished the match in a hurry with a boundary and a six off consecutive balls off Patel to spark the celebrations.
Patel looked the most dangerous of the New Zealand bowlers and extracted sharp turn and bounce off the pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
PHOTOS: India vs New Zealand, Bangalore Test (Day Four)
Photographs: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
India, who won the first Test in Hyderabad by an innings and 115 runs, lost the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar (27), Cheteshwar Pujara (48) and Suresh Raina (0) after tea.
Youngster Pujara and veteran Tendulkar survived some nervy moments after the loss of openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in quick succession and added 69 for the third wicket.
Tendulkar was once again bowled for the third time in as many innings in the series while Daniel Flynn ran backwards at short leg to pull off a superb bat-pad catch off Patel to dismiss Pujara.
PHOTOS: India vs New Zealand, Bangalore Test (Day Four)
Photographs: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
Brendon McCullum, filling in for regular wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk, who was hit on the forearm while batting on Sunday, missed an easy stumping opportunity to dismiss Pujara on 37 off spinner Jeetan Patel.
Sehwag (38) and Gambhir (34) started India's second innings with great purpose, swatting the New Zealand pacemen around the ground to bring up a 50 partnership in eight overs.
The duo added 77 for the opening wicket before Sehwag, who hit seven boundaries and a six, was bowled by Patel when he danced down the wicket to the off-spinner but swiped inside the line of the ball, which went on to hit his off stump.
PHOTOS: India vs New Zealand, Bangalore Test (Day Four)
Photographs: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
Among the two openers, Gambhir looked more attacking and scored freely off Kiwi pacers, who had tormented the top order in India's first innings. Sehwag too chipped in with some lovely strokes to the fence.
The pair overcame the drought of not scripting a half century partnership in the last 11 innings when Gambhir exquisitely punched Doug Bracewell to deep extra cover fence for a boundary.
PHOTOS: India vs New Zealand, Bangalore Test (Day Four)
Photographs: REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
The New Zealand pacers, who bowled their hearts out in the Indian first innings, did not impress much in the morning as they were too excited with the new ball in their hands.
They experimented far too many things, pitching up to the wicket and hurling some short stuff, which prompted the openers to play their natural game.
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