Chennai, Feb 8: In a day that saw fall of 15 wickets, India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hogged the limelight as he picked up his career's 28th five-wicket haul on day four of the opening Test against England at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Monday (February 8).
R Ashwin's imperious bowling performance helped the hosts bundle the English side out for 178 in 46.3 overs in their second innings, thereby setting a mammoth 420 run target for the Virat Kohli-led side to chase in the fourth innings.
England's slow batting in the final session of the day's play showed their overly cautious approach in the second innings which baffled many as they questioned the touring side's intent. Barring captain Joe Root (40 off 32 balls) no other batsman looked to play with an attacking mindset despite taking a huge 241-run lead by virtue of their first innings total of 578.
India lost the wicket of their star opener Rohit Sharma (12), who once again failed with the bat, in the second innings after getting clean bowled by a peach of a delivery from spinner Jack Leach. Rohit scored a four and a maximum in his short stay at the crease.
Later, Shubman Gill (15*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12*) ensured the hosts didn't have any further damage and went unbeaten with another 381 runs to get.
Earlier in the day, England bowlers picked up the four remaining Indian wickets to end the host team's first innings at 337, with Rishabh Pant (91), Washington Sundar (85*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (73) top-scoring for them. The tourists, however, didn't enforce the follow-on and came out to bat in the third innings with an aim to provide some rest to their bowlers.
Here's the match on Day 4 panned out:
Stumps Day 4! India reach 39/1 in 13 overs as they chase 420. They are still 381 runs short of the target. Cheteshwar Pujara - 12* and Shubman Gill - 15* go unbeaten after Rohit falls for 12. 15 wickets have fallen in the day's play on a track that is helping the spinners. India will have their tasks cut out on Day 5 as they've to bat 90 overs tomorrow.
India reach 37/1 after 12 overs; Dom Bess is going to bowl the final over of the day's play.
Over No. 12! Jack Leach is bowling potentially the last over of the day.
After 7 overs India have reached 31 and lost the big wicket of Rohit Sharma in their second innings.
That peach of a delivery from Leach!!
Classic left arm spinner’s delivery from Leach, drifting in and spinning away to beat bat and hit off stump sends Rohit back. What a massive blow!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 8, 2021
James Anderson has been brought into the attack soon after Rohit departs. England would be looking for a couple of more wickets before the close of day's play and sit in a commanding position in the match they've dominated largely.
WICKET!! Rohit Sharma (12) is clean bowled by Jack Leach and the tourists have got the first wicket. Failed to read the line of the ball completely and the ball clips the off-stump. Brilliant delivery from the left-arm spinner. India 25/1. Not the start Indians would have wanted on a pitch that has plenty to offer for the spinners.
Almost unplayable from Leach. Wicket number 1 as Rohit goes #INDvsENG
— Ian Pont (@Ponty100mph) February 8, 2021
SIX!! Rohit Sharma pulls Archer and gets a maximum. This is the shot he loves to play across formats and often gets out playing it on various occasions.
Four! Rohit Sharma plays a hook shot off Jofra Archer and gets a boundary but he wasn't in total control.
After 4 overs, India reach 12/0 against England in their second innings.
Four, Four! A couple of boundaries for Shubman Gill towards the on-side off Leach.
Jack Leach is introduced by captain Joe Root in the second over. The visitors seem to have taken a leaf out of the hosts' book i.e. starting with a spinner. Shubman Gill gets a boundary on the final delivery of the over and gets off the mark.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are out into the middle to begin India's response in the mammoth run chase of 420. Jofra Archer starts the proceedings for England with the new ball.
Wicket! James Anderson gives an easy return catch to Ashwin and departs for 0. England all out for 178. Six-for for the Indian off-spinner. India need 420 to win.
Wicket! Ashwin cleans up Jofra Archer for 5 and he grabs his 28th five-wicket haul in Test Cricket. England - 178/9, lead by 419 runs.
Washington Sundar has been introduced into the attack for the first time in this innings in the 46th over.
Wicket! R Ashwin traps Dom Bess in front for 25 and the batsman reviews it. The ball-tracking confirmed all three 'reds' and the batsman has to depart. England - 167/8, lead India by 408 runs.
Wicket! Jos Buttler (24) steps down the track to clear Shahbaz Nadeem for a maximum but the English batsman misses the ball completely and it was an easy stumping by Rishabh Pant. England - 165/7 and lead India by 407 runs.
A couple of boundaries from Jos Buttler off Shahbaz Nadeem and with that comes 400-run lead for England.
England reach 142/6 in 34 overs and they lead India by 383 runs. Bess - 9* & Buttler - 18* are present into the middle.
Nadeem has bowled 9 No Balls in this match!
Shahbaz Nadeem has bowled nine no balls in this match, the most by an Indian spinner since Amit Mishra against England at Edgbaston in 2011. #IndvEng
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) February 8, 2021
Wicket! Nadeem finally gets his first wicket in the second innings as Ollie Pope (28) comes to an end as he tries to reverse-sweep the spinner. Rohit Sharma takes a simple catch at mid-wicket. England - 130/6.
Play resumes for the final session on day 4 and Jos Buttler starts the proceedings with a boundary off Bumrah.
Tea Break! England reach 119/5 and lead India by 360 runs. 118 runs were scored in this session of 25 overs and 4 wickets have fallen. Buttler (14*) and Ollie Pope (18*) will resume batting for the tourists in the final session.
SIX!! Jos Buttler has hammered Nadeem over his head for a maximum, and it's a No Ball again by the spinner.
Jos Buttler is the new man-in for the tourists. As the tea break approaches the tourists must be looking to hold guard and prevent the fall of wickets.
Wicket! Jasprit Bumrah gets Joe Root's (40) wicket this time as he traps the English captain in front via reverse swing. England - 101/5, lead India by 342 runs.
DRS lost! Bumrah appeals for LBW against Root and immediately asks Kohli to review it. But the ball-tracking showed it was missing the stumps by a huge margin. India have only 1 review left now.
Jasprit Bumrah has been brought into the attack by skipper Kohli and he starts with a No Ball which races towards the fine leg boundary. 24 no balls have been bowled by the Indians in this match.
Not Out! Ollie Pope (8) is given caught off Ashwin while trying to reverse sweep. The umpire rules him out but the batsman reviews it immediately and survives as there was no contact between bat and ball. Review saves Pope.