India vs England 2021: Spinners shine as India seal facile win on eventful second day
India celebrate a wicket during the third test
On a truly remarkable day of cricket for the spinners, as many as 17 wickets fell and the whole third test between India and England in Ahmedabad was wrapped up with three more days to spare. Amidst all the talk about pacers coming into the picture due to the match being a pink ball day/night test, the pitch turned out to be one providing ample turn and purchase for the spinners. Both teams struggled against the turning ball as the match turned out to be a low-scoring affair.
The result is crucial with regard to the World Test Championship (WTC) as India now have one foot in it. They just need to avoid defeat in the final test in the same venue. As for England, they are now out of contention as they needed to win 3 tests in the series to qualify for the same. It will hence, either be Australia facing New Zealand or India facing New Zealand depending on whether or not India avoid defeat in the fourth test.
Joe Root and Axar Patel take five; Ravi Ashwin picks his 400th wicket
Earlier in the day, beginning on a very strong position of 99/3 and just 14 runs behind, India were put in a real spot of bother as a dramatic collapse occurred fashioned by skipper Joe Root who breathed fire with his bowling. None of the Indian batters were able to get their eye in as the wickets kept tumbling on the turning pitch. India were shot out for 145, taking a lead of just 33 runs.
England would have fancied their chances of winning but they were greeted with a barrage of spin from Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin who just ran through the batting order with terrific ease. It was a similar story as with India’s collapse but this was even worse as the batsmen looked clueless against the turning ball. They were shot out for just 81 runs leaving India with 49 to get.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill strode out to complete the formalities and did so with ease as India raced home without losing a wicket to go 2-1 up in the series. The fourth test will begin on the 4th of March.
Scores
England – 1st innings
Batsman | Mode of Dismissal | Runs | Balls |
Rohit Sharma | lbw b Axar | 53 | 84 |
Dom Sibley | c Rohit b Ishant | 0 | 7 |
Jonny Bairstow | lbw b Axar | 0 | 9 |
Joe Root | lbw b Ashwin | 17 | 37 |
Ben Stokes | lbw b Axar | 6 | 24 |
Ollie Pope | b Ashwin | 1 | 12 |
Ben Foakes | b Axar | 12 | 58 |
Jofra Archer | b Axar | 11 | 18 |
Jack Leach | c Pujara b Ashwin | 3 | 14 |
Stuart Broad | c Bumrah b Axar | 3 | 29 |
James Anderson | not out | 0 | 3 |
Total – 112 all-out in 48.4 overs
Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
Ishant Sharma | 5 | 26 | 1 |
Jasprit Bumrah | 6 | 19 | 0 |
Axar Patel | 21.4 | 38 | 6 |
Ravichandran Ashwin | 16 | 26 | 3 |
India – 1st innings
Batsman | Mode of Dismissal | Runs | Balls |
Rohit Sharma | lbw b Leach | 66 | 96 |
Shubman Gill | c Crawley b Archer | 11 | 51 |
Cheteshwar Pujara | lbw b Leach | 0 | 4 |
Virat Kohli | b Leach | 27 | 58 |
Ajinkya Rahane | lbw b Leach | 7 | 25 |
Rishabh Pant | c Foakes b Root | 1 | 8 |
Ravichandran Ashwin | c Crawley b Root | 17 | 32 |
Washington Sundar | b Root | 0 | 12 |
Axar Patel | c Sibley b Root | 0 | 2 |
Ishant Sharma | not out | 10 | 20 |
Jasprit Bumrah | lbw b Root | 1 | 12 |
Total – 145 all-out in 53.2 overs
Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
James Anderson | 13 | 20 | 0 |
Stuart Broad | 6 | 16 | 0 |
Jofra Archer | 5 | 24 | 1 |
Jack Leach | 20 | 54 | 4 |
Ben Stokes | 3 | 19 | 0 |
Joe Root | 6.2 | 8 | 5 |
England – 2nd innings
Batsman | Mode of Dismissal | Runs | Balls |
Zak Crawley | b Axar | 0 | 1 |
Dom Sibley | c Pant b Axar | 7 | 25 |
Jonny Bairstow | b Axar | 0 | 2 |
Joe Root | lbw b Axar | 19 | 45 |
Ben Stokes | lbw b Ashwin | 25 | 34 |
Ollie Pope | b Ashwin | 12 | 15 |
Ben Foakes | lbw b Axar | 8 | 28 |
Jofra Archer | lbw b Ashwin | 0 | 2 |
Jack Leach | c Rahane b Ashwin | 9 | 22 |
Stuart Broad | not out | 1 | 7 |
James Anderson | c Pant b Sundar | 0 | 3 |
Total – 81 all-out in 30.4 overs
Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
Axar Patel | 15 | 32 | 5 |
Ravichandran Ashwin | 15 | 48 | 4 |
Washington Sundar | 0.4 | 1 | 1 |
India – 2nd innings
Batsman | Mode of Dismissal | Runs | Balls |
Rohit Sharma | not out | 25 | 25 |
Shubman Gill | not out | 15 | 21 |
Total – 49/0 in 7.4 overs
Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
Jack Leach | 4 | 15 | 0 |
Joe Root | 3.4 | 25 | 0 |
Nevin Clinton
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