NEW DELHI: Team India comprehensively defeated England in the third Test in a rare two-day affair to go 2-1 up in the 4-match series. With the emphatic victory, India also got to the top of the World Test Championship standings, taking a step closer to the final spot.
The Day-night affair at the newly inaugurated stadium in Motera witnessed quite a few landmarks as India completely dominated the visitors on the spin friendly track.
A total of 30 wickets fell in the two days, out of which 28 belonged to the spinners, making it a unique feat in itself. A horrendous display of batting technique from both the sides was also one of the reasons for the match wrapping up in record time.
The match also witnessed quite a few records being created in just a span of two days.
TimesofIndia.com here’s a look at the records that were created and shattered in this Pink Ball Test.
King Ashwin climbs Mount 400
Needing just 6 wickets before the match to get to the 400-wicket mark in Tests, R Ashwin trapped Jofra Archer in front of his stumps in the second innings to claim his landmark wicket. Ashwin, who finished the match at 401 wickets, took a total of seven wickets in the match — 3 in the first and 4 in the second innings — to join the elite list of Indian cricketers claiming 400 wickets in Test cricket. After Kapil Dev (434), Anil Kumble (619) and Harbhajan Singh (417), Ashwin is now the fourth Indian bowler to climb Mount 400. The offie is also the only sixth spinner (16th overall) in the world to achieve the feat. Playing only his 77th Test, Ashwin also became the second fastest to reach the milestone after Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan, who got to the 400-wicket mark in his 72nd Test.

Axar Patel registers match figures of 11 for 70
Local boy Axar Patel was the star of the show for India as the left-arm spinner ended with match figures of 11 for 70 — fifer in both the innings of a Test — to set up a big win for India. Only two-Test old, Axar rattled the England batsmen in both the innings to set up a dream start to his Test career. After registering figures of 6 for 38 in the first innings of the Pink Ball Test — career best figures, Axar claimed 5 wickets in the second — that also included a 2-wicket first over of the innings. Axar, who came into the series as a replacement for all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja now has 3 five-wicket hauls in two Tests.

First Test fifer for Joe Root
England missed a trick by playing only one spinner in the third Test but something had to be done to compensate for the mistake on a track that was aiding the spinners a lot. Skipper Joe Root brought himself into the attack in the morning session on Day 2 and at the end of it was the highest wicket-taker for his side. The part-time spinner claimed the wickets of Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah to claim his maiden Test five-wickets haul. Playing his 102nd Test, Root before this match had best figures of 4 for 87, but bowled superbly on a spin friendly track to bundle out India for 145 in their first innings. Root ended with stunning figures of 5 for 8 in 6.2 overs.

(Photo credit: England Cricket)
Virat Kohli — The most successful captain in India
India’s dominating 10-wicket win over England was also Virat Kohli’s 22nd as captain on Indian soil. With the victory, Kohli surpassed the legendary MS Dhoni — 21 wins in India — to become the most successful captain on home soil. While Dhoni registered 21 wins as captain in 30 Tests, it took Kohli one less — 29 Tests — to go past ‘Captain Cool’.

Shortest Test in post World War era (by balls)
Skipper Virat Kohli in the post match presentation admitted that the quality of batting from both the teams was not upto the mark as the third Test finished in just over five sessions. The Test is now the shortest match — in terms of deliveries bowled that has ended in a result.
842 balls – India vs England (Ahmedabad 2020/21)
872 balls – Australia v New Zealand (Wellington 1945/46)
883 balls – England v South Africa (Centurion 1999/00) – two innings forfeited in the match
893 balls – Australia vs Pakistan (Sharjah 2002/03)