Wankhede Stadium - web image - sportstiger

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After India's win against New Zealand in the second Test match at the Wankhede Stadium to clinch the series 1-0, it is being learned that the team donated a sum of INR 35,000 to the ground staff of the stadium in Mumbai. The first Test match at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur had ended in a draw.

Earlier, the new India head coach Rahul Dravid had also donated a sum worth the same amount to the ground staff of the venue for the first Test match. Green Park had hosted a thrilling Test match which ended in a draw after the last batting pair of Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel played over 50 balls to ensure the BlackCaps save the match.

The gesture by the Men in Blue was an acknowledgment of the hard yards put in by the groundsmen to keep the venue fit and ready for international action. Although the nature of the pitch was much different in Kanpur where the ball kept relatively slower and lower, at the Wankhede there was bounce and carry for pacers as well as spinners.

There was more pace and bounce at the Wankhede Stadium: Kohli

The match will be remembered for Ajaz Patel's historic feat as he became just the third bowler to take all ten-wicket in an innings. Mayank Agarwal and Ravichandran Ashwin were the heroes for Team India and while Agarwal was adjudged the Player of the Match, Ashwin was named the Player of the Series.

"To come back with a win is a great feeling, returning as the captain it was a clinical performance, something we've seen time and again. You want individuals to step up and guys did that. Even the first Test match was good, this was better," India captain Virat Kohli said after the match.

"We discussed areas we could improve on, it was also a case of the opposition playing out a good draw and pitch not assisting the bowlers on day five like you expect it to. Here the pitch had a bit more, were able to create more pressure, also because there was more pace and bounce," he added.