Early wedding gift for Ashwin!

Soon-to-be-married Ravichandran Ashwin was delighted with his nine-wicket haul that helped India win the first Test against the West Indies yesterday.

The debutant off-spinner played a big role in India's five-wicket victory, taking three in the first innings and six in the second on a low, slow pitch at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi.

"I expected to get a few wickets, but not so many," the 25-year-old, who was later named the man of the match, said.

"I don't know if it's a gift for me and my wife before the marriage (on Sunday), but it's a very happy feeling to go into my wedding with such a performance."