New Delhi, July 25 : The Virat Kohli-led side received flurry of wishes from the cricketing fraternity after they crushed West Indies by an innings and 92 runs in the opening Test of the four-match series at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua last evening.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chairman Anurag Thakur took to micro blogging website Twitter to congratulate the Indian team on their biggest win outside Asia.
"congrats #TeamIndia on starting the WI tour with such an emphatic win. Every dept. played its role to perfection. #WIvIND @BCCI," Thakur tweeted. Congratulating India for their emphatic victory, former batsman VVS Laxman heaped praise on the side's bowling unit.
"Congrats Team India on a emphatic win??Excellent effort from the bowling unit...@ashwinravi99 was outstanding.
Keep it up?? #IndvsWI," he said. Lavishing praise on off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, former opening batsman Virender Sehwag tweeted, "When you have a performer like AshWin, You Win and also do Ash.Congratulations@ashwinravi99 on having an outstanding match, great win G N." Meanwhile, renowned Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle said the massive defeat of the Caribbean side clearly depicts the decline of the West Indies cricket.
"The decline of the West Indies is no longer a story. A generation of cricket followers have never seen them competitive in test cricket," he added. Former skipper of Indian women's team Anjum Chopra also praised Ashwin for his brilliant contribution with both the bat and ball, adding that the off-spinner had really made it a historic game for the country.
Ashwin was adjudged `Man of the match` for contributing 113 runs and claiming seven crucial wickets for India as the Caribbean side struggled to build a partnership before eventually bundling out for 231 in their second innings on the fourth day.
The match also saw Kohli smash his maiden double century to set up India's first innings declaration of 566 for eight against West Indies.
In the process, the prolific batsman also became the first Indian captain to score a Test double-century away from home.
India, which is bidding to clinch third consecutive series whitewash against the Caribbean side, have now taken a one-nil lead in the four-match series.
The two sides will next lock horns at Sabina Park in Jamaica from July 30..
