IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Bumrah, Ashwin Help India Level Series Against England In Vizag

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Brilliant bowling spells from Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin on day 4 of the second Test helped India level the series against England with a 106-run win at Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Monday (February 5).

Bumrah (3 for 46) and Ashwin (3 for 72) halted England's attempt of record Asian run chase of 399 for 292 All Out. Axar Patel, Mukesh Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav claimed a wicket each, while Sheryas Iyer's excellence in the field contributed to a run out dismissal.

England started the post lunch session at 194/6, with skipper Ben Stokes joined by wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes. The pair saw England cross the 200-run mark, but disaster struck for England before they could have a big partnership.

Some lazy running between the wickets saw skipper Stokes being dismissed for just 11 runs in 29 balls. Iyer's remarkable effort saw him assist India in removing England's crisis man, reducing them to 220/7.

The wicket is similar to the one Stokes got Ravindra Jadeja run out in the first Test and turned the result. Similarly the run out of Stokes in Vizag, proved to be crucial for India.

However, Foakes, who was next joined by Tom Hartley, frustrated the Indian spinners with some occasional big hits and shared a 50-run stand in just 63 balls, giving England some hope.

Later, Hartley survived a close leg-before-wicket call off a R Ashwin delivery before Foakes threw his wicket away with a soft dismissal, gifting Bumrah a caught bowled chance to claimed his second wicket.

Foakes departed for 36 off 69 balls, with four boundaries and a six, leaving England at 275/8 and 124 runs away from a win. Pacer Mukesh Kumar removed the debutant Shoaib Bashir for an eight-ball duck.

At 281/9, England were 118 runs away from a victory, but with just a wicket left the end looked inevitable as Bumrah got the final wicket, cleaning up Hartley for 36, bundling out England for 292.

With this result, India has levelled the five-match series 1-1 before the third Test, which is scheduled to be held at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot from February 15.

Earlier on Monday (February 5), Zak Crawley unleashed a solid counterattack, but the brilliance of India spinners Ashwin and Kuldeep derailed England's solid effort of chasing 399 runs in the second Test, reducing them to 194/6 at the end of the first session on day four.

England started the day four at 67/1, chasing 399 runs to win, with Zak Crawley (29*) and Rehan Ahmed (9*) unbeaten. England continued with their aggressive approach as Rehan targetted spinner Axar Patel and Crawley smashed Bumrah for two cracking fours.

However, Axar soon swung the match in India's favour, removing Rehan for 23. Ollie Pope, who was the hero in the first Test, fell for the same score of 23 after he was caught by skipper Rohit at slips off the bowling of Ashwin, who also got the big scalp of Joe Root for 16.

Jonny Bairstow joined Crawley, who was punishing bowlers as usual as the pair took England towards the 200-run mark. However, Kuldeep Yadav changed the game, trapping Crawley leg-before wicket for 73 in 132 balls. India successfully used the DRS for an on-field call.

In the next over, England failed in their DRS review after Bairstow was removed for 26 in 36 balls by Bumrah with another lbw. England sunk to 194/6 at the end of the first session.

Earlier in the Vizag Test, Yashasvi Jaiswal's double century powered India to 396 before Bumrah's 6-wicket haul helped India bundle out England for 253 in their first innings. Shubman Gill also scored a century in India's second innings to set a target of 399 for the visitors.

(With Agency imputs)