Team India established a position of dominance against the English side at the fourth Test in Ranchi on Sunday as the hosts require 152 runs to clinch a two-game series lead with two days to go.
India, who put up 307 runs in reply to England’s first innings score of 353, but went on to bundle out the visitors for 145 runs in the second innings to take control of the tie.
Ravichandran Ashwin starred with the ball as he bagged his 35th fifer, while Kuldeep Yadav claimed four scalps.
During the innings, a moment of relief came through skipper Rohit Sharma’s comment when Sarfaraz Khan was fielding at silly point without a helmet to protect his head.
The captain yelled, “Aye, hero nai banne ka” (Oi, don’t be a hero!) as he instructed the 26-year-old to wear his headgear citing the proximity of his position to the batter.
🔊 Hear this! Rohit does not want Sarfaraz to be a hero?🤔#INDvsENG #IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #BazBowled #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/ZtIsnEZM67
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) February 25, 2024
Ashwin removed English Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope in consecutive deliveries in the fifth over to give the host an early break. He dismissed Joe Root shortly thereafter, before coming back at the end of the innings to scalp the wickets of Ben Foakes and James Anderson to complete his fifer.
The 37-year-old spinner is now tied with legendary Anil Kumble for the number of five-wicket-hauls. Only legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Richard Hadlee have claimed more fifers in the long history of the game.
Kuldeep Yadav sent Zak Crawley back to the hut after the Englishman had got to his half-century, shortly before dismissing England skipper Ben Stokes back to the dugout with his crafty spin.
Ravindra Jadeja jumped in on the act as he scalped Jonny Bairstow for 30 before Kuldeep got rid of Tom Hartley. Ollie Robinson followed his teammate back to the hut in the very same over.
Rohit and Jaiswal were unbeaten at 24 and 16 runs respectively at the end of play on Day 3 and will look to complete the chase without conceding a wicket.
