But the visiting batsmen made heavy weather of the 235-run victory target and were skittled out for 173 on a wicket which held no terrors.India, who began the Test on a high note after winning the one-day series 2-1 and the three-day tour game, had complacency getting the better of them as they gave their worst showing.

The babes of cricket scripted a big win inside four days despite conceding a 59-run first innings lead and setting an easily achievable winning target. Zimbabwe seized the initiative with early blows and had the top order -- Nayan Mongia (0), Navjot Singh Sidhu (0), Sachin Tendulkar (7) andskipper Mohd Azharuddin (7) -- back in the pavilion with the score reading 37 for four.

Rahul Dravid (44) and Saurav Ganguly (36) the saviours in the first innings, tried to stem the rot but didn't much succeed as the hosts did not let the initiative slip and struck after the duo had added 67 runs for the fifth wicket.

Robin Singh (12) and Anil Kumble, with an identical score, could not do much and by then the writing was on the wall.

Javagal Srinath (23) and Harbhajan Singh (15) resisted for a while raising 40 runs for the tenth wicket but could not stop the inevitable.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe (1st innings): 221

India (1st innings): 280

Zimbabwe (2nd innings; overnight 219-2): Gavin Rennie c Robin b Harbhajan 84, Craig Wishart c&b Kumble 63, Murray Goodwin c&b Kumble 44, Henry Olonga c Azharuddin b Harbhajan 5, Alistair Campbell c Azharuddin b Harbhajan 25, Andy Flower not out 41, Neil Johnson c Robin b Kumble 1, Craig Evans lbw b Kumble 4, Heath Streak c Dravid bAgarkar 3, Adam Huckle lbw b Srinath 1, Mpumelele Mbangwa b Srinath 0; Extras: (b1, lb12, nb9) 22. Total (all out in 105.3 overs) 293

Fall of wickets: 1-138, 2-209, 3-223, 4-223, 5-246, 6-249, 7-257, 8-288, 9-293

Bowling: Srinath 23.3-7-43-2, Agarkar 18-2-60-1, Ganguly 4-1-10-0, Kumble 36-4-87-4, Harbhajan Singh 20-4-64-3, Robin Singh 4-2-16-0India (2nd innings): N Mongia c Wishart b Olonga 0, N Sidhu c Johnson b Streak 0, R Dravid c Flower b Mbangwa 44, S Tendulkar c Flower b Johnson 7, M Azharuddin c Campbell b Streak 7, S Ganguly lbw Huckle 36, R Singh lbw Johnson 12, A Kumble c Goodwin b Johnson 12, A Agarkar c Olonga b Mbangwa 5, J Srinath run out (Goodwin) 23, H Singh not out 15. extras (lb-3, w-1, nb-8): 12. Total (all out in 56.5 overs): 173.

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-6, 3-29, 4-37, 5-104, 6-112, 7-124, 8-129, 9-133.Bowling: Olonga 10-1-40-1, Streak 14-2-49-2, Johnson 14.5-5-41-3, Mbangwa 12-6-16-2, Huckle 6-0-24-1.

Man of match: Henry Olongo