Daily Times

RANCHI: India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match test series against England by winning the fourth test by five wickets on Monday.

Chasing 192 to win, India lost five wickets for 36 runs to be reduced to 120-5 but Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel put on a sixth-wicket partnership of 72 runs to get the hosts over the line.

It is the first test series´ defeat for England under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.India’s victory was set up on Sunday’s third day when England’s batting lineup collapsed to be all out for 145 in its second innings as the tourists surrended the initiative after taking a 46-run lead from the first innings.

India’s victory here gives it unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-test series. England had won the first test in Hyderabad by 28 runs. India responded by winning the second test in Visakhapatnam by 106 runs, and then the third test in Rajkot by 434 runs. The fifth test will be played in Dharamsala from March 7.

Chasing 192, India resumed Monday at 40 without loss. Captain Rohit Sharma completed his half century and seemingly had set India on course for victory, before England snared three wickets to keep their slight hopes alive of achieving a dramatic turnaround.

Sharma shared an 84-run opening stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal, before the latter was spectacularly caught by veteran James Anderson off Joe Root for 37 to give the tourists a much-needed breakthrough against the seemingly comfortable Indian opening pair.

Jaiswal´s wicket sparked a mini-collapse as India went from 84-0 to 100-3 inside nine overs as England sniffed a chance of victory.

Left-arm spinner Tom Hartley had Sharma caught behind in the 26th over for 55. It was initially judged as a stumping, but on review, the television umpire also detected an edge from the batter while keeper Ben Foakes held on to a sharp catch.

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir then had Rajat Patidar caught at short leg for a six-ball duck as India lost its second wicket in eight deliveries.

India went to lunch at 118-3, but the slide continued after the break.

Ravindra Jadeja (4) was caught first ball on resumption of play. He hit a low full toss off Bashir straight to mid-on. Next ball, Sarfaraz Khan was out caught at short leg.

Jurel (39 not out) denied Bashir the hat-trick and then bedded down for a match winning partnership with Gill.

The 24-year-old Gill was watchful and intent on not taking any risks. He only scored his first boundary after 119 deliveries.

The two batters grew in confidence as they spent time at the wicket, adding 50 off 122 balls as England’s spinners began to wane.

Gill (52 not out) then hit two sixes to reach his sixth test half century and brought a swift end to an enthralling match.

Bashir, playing only his second test, finished with 3-79 and collected a match haul of eight wickets to lead the tourist bowlers.