Singh bowled well at the tail to seal victory for India in Bulawayo

India thrashed Zimbabwe by an innings and 90 runs in Bulawayo despite a brave lower-order resistance from the hosts on day four of the first Test.

Resuming on 67-6 and still 208 runs shy of making India bat again, Zimbabwe managed 185 in their second innings with skipper Tatenda Taibu making 52.

Harbhajan Singh finished off the tail to return figures of 4-59.

The match was over when the off-spinner trapped Gavin Ewing lbw for 34 to end the hosts' last-wicket stand of 47.

"Things went very much to plan and essentially it was a team effort," said India captain Sourav Ganguly, who scored 101 on Thursday.

"Zimbabwe were a good side a couple of years ago and now they've lost some players for whatever reasons, so a series win over them won't be so significant.

"What is more significant is the way we've played Test cricket for the last four years.

"It will take time for them to become a good team again and not allowing them to play Test cricket won't help them."

There is always something to learn and we have done so from this match. I thought we fought well. Maybe we can do better in Harare Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu

Andy Blignaut was the new man at the crease in the morning following Harbhajan's removal of Charles Coventry late on Thursday.

The all-rounder struck four boundaries in a promosing knock of 26 before Harbhajan penetrated his defences and bowled him.

Taibu soon brought up his ninth Test half-century, making him Zimbabwe's top-scorer in each innings, but was on his way when edging behind off Anil Kumble, the leg-spinner's sole scalp of the innings.

Keith Dabengwa hit three fours en route to a score of 16 before Harbhajan trapped him leg before, reducing Zimbabwe to 138-9 and on the brink of yet another heavy defeat.

But the final pair did not go down without a fight, Ewing and Blessing Mahwire (13 not out) recording Zimbabwe's equal fifth-highest tally for the last wicket.

There was no escaping the inevitable, however, and Ewing eventually fell lbw to Harbhajan just before the scheduled lunch break.

India's left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan was named Man of the Match for his match haul of 9-111.

The second and final Test gets under way in Harare on Tuesday.