India defeated England by 10 wickets in the third Test in Ahmedabad in a rare two-day win in the longest format of the game. As many as 17 wickets fell on Thursday, Day Two, when bowlers from both teams bamboozled the batsmen, who couldn’t pick deliveries that turned from the ones that went straight on after pitching. India chased down a paltry target of 49 runs in the final session of the second day after England were bowled out for 81 — their lowest-ever total in India — in the second innings. England’s slump with the bat overshadowed the one India endured earlier in the day as they went from 99 for 3 overnight to 145 all out inside the first session. Amidst all the tumbling wickets Ravichandran Ashwin reached the milestone of 400 Test wickets, becoming the fastest Indian to the feat.

Axar Patel added to his first-innings returns of 6 for 38 with another five-wicket haul in the second innings. His 5 for 32 included wickets of England’s top four batsmen – Zak Crawley (0), Dom Sibley (7), Jonny Bairstow (0) and Joe Root (19).

A 31-run stand between Root and Ben Stokes (25) was the only substantial partnership in England’s second innings.

Stokes (25) was trapped lbw by Ashwin, who then bowled Ollie Pope (12) and got Jofra Archer (0) lbw as well to reach 400 wickets.

Jack Leach (9) was caught in the slips and James Anderson (0) was caught behind as England collapsed for the second time in the match, handing India a target too easy to chase even on a tough pitch.

Rohit added to his half-century in the first innings with an unbeaten 25 and finished the match with a six a short while after the dinner break.

Earlier, India lost wickets in a heap in their first innings as they lost their last seven batsmen for just 42 runs.

Rohit (66) was the only Indian batsman to get a substantial score even as Ajinkya Rahane (7), Rishabh Pant (1), Washington Sundar (0), Axar Patel (0) all fell in quick succession.

Root made merry with the ball, picking up a five-wicket haul to accelerate India’s collapse even as Leach returned four wickets.

England were dismissed for 112 in the first innings on Day One.

Promoted

The win gave India a 2-1 lead in the four-match series, crushing England’s hopes of making the World Test Championship final.

If India manage to not lose the last Test, also in Ahmedabad, they will make the final of the Championship.