Euphoric Cricketers Celebrate as Team India Register Historic Win Over Kiwis in Mumbai Test Match

This is not the first time the Indian cricket team have defeated New Zealand in a Test series at home - in fact, the Kiwis haven't beaten the south Asian side in the past 14 meetings in India. The last time the New Zealanders won a five-day game in the country was in 1988.

Legendary cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Vangipurapu Venkata Sai (VVS) Laxman applauded the Indian cricket team on Monday after the Virat Kohli-led side defeated New Zealand by 372 runs in the second Test match in Mumbai city.

Not only did India hammer the side from the southern hemisphere, but they also registered their biggest triumph in runs in the sport's longest format.

Monday's win was India's 14th consecutive Test series triumph at home - a streak which has extended India's world record. Australia is in second place with 10 series wins in succession at home.

This is also India's 11th series win in a row under Kohli's captaincy at home.

Tendulkar congratulated Kohli and his boys for their win in a "special Test match" and Laxman declared that the visitors were "comprehensively outclassed" by the home team.

Other former cricketers, such as Aakash Chopra, Virender Sehwag and Parthiv Patel joined the enthusiastic chorus of delight to salute the team's victorious performance.

Patel, in particular, was effusive in his praise and he insisted that beating India in its own den was simply "impossible".

He added that if such a task was impossible for New Zealand - No 1 in the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Test rankings - no other team could come near.

What a victory for #TeamIndia. Congratulations! 👏🏻

A special Test match where wickets in all 4 innings were picked up by Indians! 😉#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/HAfvPxRDqG

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 6, 2021

Resounding win for India in their own backyard, comprehensively outclassed New Zealand on a track with turn and bounce. Complete all-round effort with Mayank and Ashwin leading the way, one does feel for history-maker Ajaz. #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/FFeRu6ZPUC

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 6, 2021

Well done Team India. Another comprehensive win at home. Many positives in the test match , but the best was to see Mayank Agarwal back at his best. pic.twitter.com/KrHlRhXngr

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 6, 2021

India ko India main harana namumkin Hai! If World Champion and No.1 side can lose so comprehensively against India which was missing almost half of its regular players, you can imagine the strength of Test side.Congratulations 👏 to the players. #INDvNZ #NZvIND #CricketTwitter

— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) December 6, 2021

14th consecutive Test series win at home. Enviable record. India is the modern day ‘final frontier’ for the teams across the world.
A gentle reminder that India were missing 6 players from the first playing XI for the first Test at Kanpur and 5 in Mumbai. #IndvNZ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 6, 2021

Kohli and his men were showered with praise after sealing their victory in Mumbai within an hour's play on Monday.

Having ended the fourth day on 140/5, the Kiwi batsmen didn't offer much resistance as Jayant Yadav grabbed four wickets before Ravichandran Ashwin took the final wicket of the match to clinch India's 372-run victory at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

On Friday, Kohli won the toss and chose to bat. India made 325 in their first essay, thanks largely to opener Mayank Agarwal's 150.

Another major highlight of India's first innings was New Zealand player Ajaz Yunus Patel's perfect 10, becoming just the third bowler in the game's history to take all 10 opposition wickets in a Test innings. England's Jim Laker (against Australia in 1956) and India's Anil Kumble (against Pakistan in 1999) are the other two.

But Patel's 10 wickets failed to inspire the New Zealand batsmen, as the entire team folded for 62 in response to India's 325 in the first innings, handing the hosts a massive 263-run lead.

India declared their second innings at 276/7 to set New Zealand a near impossible target of 540 to win. The home team's spinners, though, didn't take too long to complete the win as the visitors lost all their 10 wickets for 167.

India's fourth innings display with the ball was led by Ashwin and Jayant, each of whom picked up four wickets in front of their home fans.