New Delhi, February 25: England captain Joe Root grabbed his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket as English spinners wreaked havoc on day two of the Pink Ball Test to bundle the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up for 145.
Off-spinner Root was the wrecker-in-chief for the tourists as England triggered a sensational collapse of the Indians on a spin-friendly Motera track. Root was brilliantly supported by the team's lead spinner Jack Leach - who picked up a four-for as nine Indian wickets were picked up by the spinners, just like England's first innings.
Root finished with astonishing figures of 6.2 overs, 3 maidens, 8 runs and 5 wickets while Leach returned with 4/54 from his 20 overs. While Leach picked up the wickets of India's top-four in Rohit Sharma (66), Cheteshwar Pujara (0), Virat Kohli (27), and Ajinkya Rahane (7); Root ran through India's lower middle-order.The best figures by an England captain in men's Test cricket:
7-80, Gubby Allen vs India, The Oval, 1936
6-7, Arthur Gilligan vs South Africa, Edgbaston, 1924
6-101, Bob Willis vs India, Lord's, 1982
5-8, Joe Root vs India, Ahmedabad, 2021
India resumed their innings from 99/3 in the morning session of day two and could only manage to add another 46 runs on the board and lost 7 wickets in the process as England made a sensational turnaround in the game which seemed to have slipped away through their hands on the very first day of the Test match.
The tourists were restricted to a paltry 112 in the first innings after electing to bat first and with India finishing the opening day's play at 99 for three, all hopes were lost. But a spirited fightback from their bowlers and lack of intensity shown by Indian batsmen brought the tourists in the game.
Here's how Twitterati reacted to Joe Root's incredible fifer and India's shocking collapse:
Zak Crawley 53. Rest 59.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 25, 2021
Rohit 66. Rest thus far 55.
Ingredients for a 3-day Test. #IndvEng
Incredible session. Still can’t believe what happened. England well and truly back in the game. #INDvENG @StarSportsIndia
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 25, 2021
Very surprised that India weren’t super aggressive this morning. Seemed like the mindset and attitude was to be patient and just bat - lacked intent ! 50+ run lead India become favourites. Worth Archer steaming in for an over or two I reckon. Nose and toes !!!!!!!!
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 25, 2021
Anything Ashwin can do Joe Root can do better... #INDvsENG
— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93) February 25, 2021
That said, I didn't think he'd take 5 for 8. Madness. https://t.co/2UlUFmgDlO
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) February 25, 2021
98-2 to 125-8! In 13 overs. This game is galloping.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 25, 2021
Indian batsmen facing Root today #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/xlMTzshbx4
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 25, 2021
This could genuinely be over today.
— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell) February 25, 2021
ROOOOOOOT 🙌🏼🔥
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) February 25, 2021
Staggering. Rooot!!!! #INDvENG
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) February 25, 2021
Root has taken 5 for 8.
— Nick Hoult (@NHoultCricket) February 25, 2021
Bumrah out LBW or in reality WTF
Joe Root has a five-wicket haul in 6.2 overs and India have collapse dramatically this morning. 145 all out and if only England can bat for two sessions they will have a great chance of winning this third Test against all the odds.
— Paul Newman 🌈 (@Paul_NewmanDM) February 25, 2021
Cheapest 5-wicket innings hauls by captains in Tests:
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) February 25, 2021
6/7 Arthur Gilligan (E v SA) 1924
5/8 JOE ROOT (E v I) Today
6/18 Courtney Walsh (WI v NZ) 1995
5/19 Aubrey Smith (E v SA) 1889
5/26 George Giffen (A v E) 1895
5/26 Fazal Mahmood (P v I) 1960#INDvENG #INDvsENG #ENGvIND
Crawley and Rohit: 119 for 2.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) February 25, 2021
Numbers 2 to 11: 127 for 18.
The second lowest first-innings aggregate by numbers 2-11 in Test history. Lowest was 98, A v E, SCG Feb 1888. #INDvENG
This is going to be quick by surely great fun.#INDvsENG #AhmedabadTest #engfightback
— Mpumelelo Mbangwa (@mmbangwa) February 25, 2021