NEW DELHI: India beat England by an innings and 25 runs to win the four-Test series 3-1 in Ahmedabad on Saturday. With this win, India also sealed a final spot in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s vs New Zealand.
India were expected to win, but no one would have thought that England would fold up so early on Day 3 as Axar Patel (5 for 48) and Ravichandran Ashwin (5 for 47) took all 10 wickets in their second innings.
SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENED
Washington Sundar was left stranded on an unbeaten 96 as India were bowled out for 365 runs, with a 160-run lead just at the stroke of Lunch. And that 160 was more than enough for Indian spinners to weave their web around the England batsmen, who were playing the turning deliveries like cats on a hot tin roof.
None of the England batsmen showed any application, temperament, technique or determination to play the Indian spin duo of Axar and Ashwin.
The England slide started soon after Lunch when Ashwin dismissed Zak Carwley (5) and Jonny Bairstow (0) off consecutive deliveries. Axar was lucky to get his first wicket when Dom Sibley’s sweep shot hit Shubman Gill on his pads at forward short leg, the ball bounced high up in the air for Rishabh Pant to take a simple catch.
Ben Stokes (2) tried to be aggressive but his paddle sweep was caught by Indian captain Virat Kohli at backward short leg as England were reduced to 30/4.
Ollie Pope (15) added 35 runs with his skipper Joe Root but his aggressive instincts couldn’t take him far as he danced down the track to a delivery by Axar, missed it and was stumped by Pant.
Root (30) then misjudged the length of an Ashwin delivery and was trapped plumb in front to complete England’s misery.
Dan Lawrence, 50 off 95 balls, delayed the inevitable with a gritty half-century, but eventually ran out of partners at the other end. England were bundled out for 135 in 54.5 overs in their second innings, handing the hosts another massive win.
Playing only his fourth Test, Sundar displayed great composure and maturity in his 96-run knock. Sundar’s 113-run stand with Pant for the seventh wicket on Day 2 took India ahead of the England total and his 106-run partnership with Axar (43) for the eighth wicket on Day 3 ensured that there were no comebacks for the England team.
Sundar hit a six and 10 fours in his knock and though he was unlucky he ran out of partners and missed his maiden Test hundred, his knock was as good and invaluable as a century.