Ranchi, Feb 25 (IANS): In the pursuit of 192 runs for a series win, India reached 40/0 in eight overs at stumps on day three of the fourth Test against England at the JSCA International Stadium on Sunday.
India still need 152 to win the fourth Test, with two days still left in the match. Captain Rohit Sharma made great use of full and overpitched deliveries from Tom Hartley to hit four boundaries and be 24 not out, as the England spinner’s inexperience with the new ball showed.
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal swept Joe Root easily to be unbeaten on 16 as India walked off with smiles on their faces. India began Day Three with 134 runs behind England's first innings score with just three wickets in hand. But Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav (28 off 131 balls) shared a crucial 76-run stand for the eighth wicket to help the hosts fight back in the match.
Though Kuldeep later became James Anderson’s 698th Test scalp, Jurel, playing just his second Test, survived a caught-out chance on 59 and shifted gears well to be India’s top-scorer with a terrific 90 off 149 balls.
England had a first innings lead of 46, but Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc with the new ball to pick his 35th five-wicket haul in Tests via a splendid 5-51. Ably supporting him was Kuldeep taking 4-22, while Ravindra Jadeja had a scalp to his name.
In the final session, England lost five wickets for 25 runs in 21 overs. Jonny Bairstow was dismissed on the first ball of the session, pushing at a Jadeja delivery which turned and spooned to short cover. Kuldeep came in to have Tom Hartley caught at mid-on and trapped Ollie Robinson lbw with the one which turned in to hit the pad past the willow.
Robinson tried to change the decision but couldn’t do so as the umpire’s call came on ball hitting leg-stump. Ben Foakes survived an under-edge off Ashwin, but the off spinner slipped in a carrom ball, which the batter couldn’t read and gave a return catch back to the bowler.
Ashwin completed his five-fer when James Anderson went for the reverse sweep and missed it. The ball ricocheted off the bat and Jurel stuck out his right glove to take a sharp catch. India’s brilliant day even got better when Rohit and Jaiswal capitalised on a flurry of loose balls from England and have all wickets in hand to seal the series in Ranchi.
Brief scores:
England 353 & 145 all out in 53.5 overs (Zak Crawley 60, Jonny Bairstow 30; Ravichandran Ashwin 5-51, Kuldeep Yadav 4-22) lead India 307 in 103.2 overs (Dhruv Jurel 90; Shoaib Bashir 5-119) & 40/0 in 8 overs (Rohit Sharma 24 not out, Yashasvi Jaiswal 16 not out) by 152 runs