Wriddhiman Saha stars in India's Test win against Kiwis

Wriddhiman Saha starred with the bat in both innings, and became the fourth Indian wicketkeeper to score two fifties in a Test, which helped the hosts convincingly beat New Zealand by 178 runs, in four days, in the second Test that ended in Kolkata on Monday.

Saha's contribution in the second innings - when he scored a 120-ball 58 - cannot be underestimated. He came to the crease with India, in a spot of bother, struggling at 106 for 6. Like in the first innings, where he scored 54 from 123 balls, Saha mixed caution with aggression. He took time to get his eye in, before switching gears when required.

Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja's dismissal in the 61st over, didn't affect Saha's game-plan as he continued to rotate the strike. At stumps on the third day, he had scored 39 runs from 87 balls. He added 15 more to the tally, before he ran out of partners on day four.

On his home ground, he produced an innings that may well become something of a signature. He took blows to his body from the fast bowlers, but used their pace and nudged them behind point or towards backward square leg. And having blunted them, he took on the spinners. Five of his six fours and 28 of his unbeaten 58 came off the bowling of Mitchell Santner.

India's bowling unit on a whole continued their consistent performance in the Test series. New Zealand's top order was stubborn and refused to hand India the early advantage. Openers, Tom Latham and Martin Guptill, held their nerve against the new ball and added their highest opening stand of the series.

New Zealand went to lunch at 55 for no loss. R Ashwin dismissed Guptill in the first over after lunch for a 49-ball 24. Ravindra Jadeja then accounted for Henry Nicholls after he added 24 from 72 balls.

Latham was the pick of New Zealand's batsmen and added 74-stoic runs from 208 balls, before Saha held a fine edge that Ashwin induced from the lefthander. His dismissal signaled an end New Zealand's resistance, as they lost wickets in a heap and crumpled to just 197 in reply.

"I'm very happy for winning the series and getting my first man of the match. Not much pressure. Defending the good balls, rotating the strike, and putting the bad ball away to the boundary. The West Indies hundred boosted my confidence, but I didn't score much in Kanpur, that's why I took my time in the initial few balls. I just did my job behind the stumps, nothing much. I just keep watching the ball till the last, and soft hands, that's it," Saha said.