On the third day of the fourth Test, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin orchestrated a masterful display, weaving a web around England’s batting order and claiming five crucial wickets. Opener Zak Crawley emerged as the lone resistance with a commendable 60, facing the challenges posed by India’s spinners. However, the rest of the English batting lineup faltered against the spin duo of Ashwin, who finished with figures of 5-51, and Kuldeep Yadav, contributing significantly with 4-22.
As the day concluded, India found themselves in a promising position, reaching 40-0, with Skipper Rohit Sharma standing unbeaten at 24 and Yashasvi Jaiswal on 16. The pursuit of a 192-run target on the final day sets the stage for a potential series-clinching victory for India. In the morning session of the fourth Test, India’s wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel showcased resilience by scoring a vital 90 runs, significantly reducing the hosts’ deficit as they began the day on 219-7.
Jurel’s partnership with overnight companion Yadav yielded a crucial 76 runs for the eighth wicket. Despite Shoaib Bashir, the England spinner, securing his maiden Test five-wicket haul to dismiss India for 307, the hosts managed to secure a lead of 46 runs. This balanced performance by India’s bowlers and Jurel’s notable contribution set the stage for an intriguing contest on the fourth day of the test match.
Top-Order Trouble: Deconstructing England’s Poor Batting Display
In the second innings of the fourth Test, Ravichandran Ashwin played a pivotal role for India with the new ball. He started by dismissing Ben Duckett, who, on a tossed-up delivery on middle and leg, lunged forward and pushed hard, resulting in the ball lobbing into the hands of Sarfaraz at FSL. The next delivery saw Ashwin deceive Ollie Pope with a slider that went straight on after pitching. Pope, playing for turn, got opened up completely and was trapped LBW, right in front of the leg stump.
The game-changing moment came with the dismissal of Joe Root. Ashwin delivered a beautifully tossed-up ball on the leg-stump line, drawing Root forward. However, the ball straightened past the inside edge, and Root was trapped LBW. Following Ravichandran Ashwin’s crucial breakthroughs, Kuldeep Yadav showcased his mastery with the ball. He dismissed Zak Crawley with a short delivery that forced a back foot play.
Crawley, attempting to play through cover, missed as the ball turned sharply, rattling the stumps. Kuldeep Yadav then claimed the wicket of England captain Ben Stokes, who played the line of the leggie. The ball, pitched around leg stump, induced Stokes to open up in his defense, playing well inside the line. The ball hit the back pad and rolled onto the stumps.
Subsequently, Ravindra Jadeja took the wicket of Jonny Bairstow with a nicely tossed-up delivery on off, hitting a crack and spinning away. Bairstow, shaping for the drive with hard hands, was caught at cover.
Conclusion
India asserted dominance over England on day three of the fourth Test, as spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav wreaked havoc, securing wickets and restricting England to 145. Opener Zak Crawley’s resilient 60 was a lone stand amid the Indian spin onslaught. In pursuit of 192, India finished the day at 40-0, poised for a series-clinching win. Captain Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 24, coupled with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 16, sets the stage for a decisive final innings in the five-Test series. The spin-friendly conditions played a pivotal role, with India aiming to secure their third consecutive victory and claim the series.