Anil Kumble once again proved to be Pakistan's nemesisas he ripped through their batting line up and help India record a thumping195-run victory in the second Test at the Eden Gardens today.
Kumble claimed seven for 63 for his 29th five-wickethaul as Pakistan, chasing a daunting target of 422, were shot out for 226 soonafter tea on the fifth and final day.
It was a remarkable comeback by the Indians who wereoutplayed for the better part of first two days and the win would bring smilesback to their faces after they had failed to force a result in the series openerat Mohali.
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The hosts now lead the three-Test series 1-0 with thethird and final Test to be played in Bangalore from Mar 24-28.
The seven wickets meant Kumble had a match haul of10-160, the seventh time he had recorded such an analysis.
The win would also erase the bitter memories of 1999 atthe venue for the Indians when they were outplayed by Wasim Akram's men in anAsian Test Championship tie that was forced to be played in-camera during theclosing stages after crowd disturbances.
Pakistan's hopes of avoiding a defeat revolved around Yousuf Youhana and AsimKamal who added 63 runs for the fifth wicket.
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The partnership helped briefly resurrect the visitors'innings after three wickets had fallen for 20 runs at the start of the day.
But Kumble, having ripped through the top orderincluding the dismissal of vice-captain Younis Khan first ball this morning,returned to provide the breakthrough when he had Youhana caught bat-pad for 22.
Eight runs later, Razzaq (6) was foxed by a Kumbledelivery that went quicker through the air and uprooted the leg stump off aninside edge.
Kamran Akmal (7), Pakistan's saviour at Mohali, walkedin next but did not last long.
Soon after the 200 of the innings was posted in 263minutes, the wicketkeeper-batsman was beaten by a straight delivery fromHarbhajan Singh as he played for the spin and played inside the line of the balland lost his off-middle stumps.
Kamal, ploughing a lonely furrow, reached his sixth 50in eight Tests straight driving pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji for a boundary, butreturned to the pavilion soon after.
He tried to work Kumble to the leg side, but the ball took the upper end of thebat and was taken by substitute Mohammed Kaif at forward short leg.
Kamal struck his second half century of the series witha fighting 50 off 127 balls and nine fours.
Kumble now has 53 wickets in eight matches against thearch-rivals, the third highest tally by a bowler between the two countries.
Only legendary all-rounders Kapil Dev (99) and ImranKhan (94) have taken more wickets.
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The day started off sensationally as overnight not outbatsman Younis got out of the very first ball when he needlessly reached out toplay a ball wide outside the leg stump, missed and Dinesh Kaarthick, his tailsup after the 93-run knock yesterday, did the rest behind the wicket with aplomb.
Skipper Inzamam-ul Haq, who came in after Younis'dismissal with a lot of responsibility resting on his shoulders, signalled hisarrival with a fluent boundary off Balaji through fine leg to post the 100 ofthe innings 21.1 overs.
However, Inzamam's moment of glory in the middle wastoo brief as he played half-cock to a Kumble delivery and only managed anoutside edge on to his stump, sending alarm bells ringing in the Pakistan camp.
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Inzamam played 27 balls during his 34 minute stay and hit two boundaries.
But even before the deafening cheers from the around50,000 spectators in the stadium could die down, Pakistan suffered another bigblow when opener Taufiq Umar went back of the first delivery of the next over.
Umar, who never really looked confident despitespending 124 minutes in the middle, departed to a beauty of a delivery fromBalaji that moved away after pitching on the off stump.
Umar opened the face of his blade and the outside edgewas gleefully accepted by Virender Sehwag at second slip.
The two big wickets in back-to-back deliveries forcedthe Pakistan batsmen to pull the shutters down as aggression was written in theIndian players' body language as they made forceful appeals on everyopportunity.
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Finding Pakistan with their backs to the wall, Indianskipper Saurav Ganguly -- who now has a 19-12 win-loss record in 46 Tests --piled on the pressure, surrounding the batsmen with five fielders in closecatching positions.
Then followed a middle order collapse as Pakistan losttheir last six wickets in the space of only 48 runs.
Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid was named man-of-the-matchfor his centuries in both innings.
PTI
