Ishant was ‘the real difference’ between India, New Zealand in Nagpur: Vettori

NAGPUR - New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori has identified fast bowler Ishant Sharma as the key to India’s victory in the third and final Test held in Nagpur.

Ishant, who was called up for the deciding Test to replace an injured Zaheer Khan, took 4-43 in the first innings and 3-12 in the second innings to help fire his team to an emphatic innings and 198 runs victory.

“I think the real difference was Ishant. To take seven wickets on this wicket really hurt us,” Stuff.co.nz quoted Vettori, as saying.

“We knew we were in for a challenge against the spinners, but we should have done better against the seamers. It was a tough wicket to bowl on for the seamers so for him to come in and bowl so well and do the damage was the real difference between the teams,” he added.

Sharma, who dismissed New Zealand tail-enders Tim Southee and Chris Martin off consecutive balls, will be on a hattrick when he plays his next Test match, possibly against South Africa next month.

Meanwhile, the two teams will now head to Guwahati for the opening game of the five-match ODI series, starting on Sunday. (ANI)