England's Joe Root leaps in the air to stop the ball. Photo: Reuters
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2050157/india-cruise-victory-third-test-against-england Other Sport
India cruise to victory in third test against England
Inspired by a sparkling all-round performance by Ravindra Jadeja, the home side easily chase down modest target of 103 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series
Job well done again: India skipper Virat Kohli keeps it low-key as he celebrates beating England in the third test in Mohali. Photo: Reuters
Ravindra Jadeja’s sparkling all-round performance floored England and handed India an unbeatable 2-0 lead after they cantered home to a comprehensive eight-wicket win in the third cricket test in Mohali on Tuesday.
Top-ranked India surpassed the 103-run target in the final session of the fourth day with recalled opener Parthiv Patel (67 not out) hitting the winning runs.
Left-handed Jadeja scored a career-best 90 in India’s 417-run first innings total before finishing with a match haul of four wickets to be named man of the match.
India’s road to victory was smooth despite Chris Woakes striking early to send back opener Murali Vijay for nought.
Patel and Cheteshwar Pujara (25) then put on an 81-run partnership to enable the hosts to register their second straight win of the five-match series.
Patel, returning to the test side after an eight-year gap, struck 11 fours and a six off 54 balls on his way to his fifth test half-century.
Skipper Virat Kohli, who was at the other end when stumps were drawn, hugged Patel to celebrate his team’s well-earned victory.
It was the steely lower-order resistance from the Indian batsmen and a combined effort by their bowlers that set up victory for the Kohli-led side.
Jadeja’s knock surpassed his previous-best of 68 he made against the same opposition at Lord’s in 2014.
England's James Anderson (left), Alastair Cook and Joe Root trudge towards the pavilion during the tea break on the fourth day, knowing the game had been long lost at that point. Photo: Reuters
The Indian lower order contributed 213 runs to the total score after the hosts were reduced to 204-6 following a fightback by the England bowlers on the second day.
“I think we got in a bit of a bother on the second day but the belief inside the dressing room was tremendous,” said Ashwin.
“We always backed the lower order to get a lot of runs. We tell ourselves that we are capable of making 125-150 runs. And I think we put up a stellar show.”
After securing a crucial 134-run first innings lead, India bowled out England for 236 despite defiant half-centuries from Joe Root (78) and Haseeb Hameed (59 not out).
India’s Ravindra Jadeja (left) and captain Virat Kohli celebrate the dismissal of England batsman Jos Buttler. Photo: AFP
But the Indian bowlers always held the upper hand with paceman Mohammed Shami (5-103) instrumental in wiping off the tail in both the innings with his lively pace.
England, though, can take positives from Ben Stokes’ five-wicket haul in India’s first innings, while leg-spinner Adil Rashid finished as the leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps.
England skipper Alastair Cook admitted his side squandered the advantage of winning the toss after scoring a below-par 283 in the first knock.
“It was a good toss to win but if you get bowled out for 280-odd you won’t win games,” said Cook.
“You need to get 400 on this pitch at least. It has been a frustrating four days. Credit to India, they outplayed us.”