India Beat England In 4th Test To Clinch Series 3-1, Enter WTC Finals (Match Report)
England's ineptness at playing spin ensured that India booked their ticket to the World Test Championship (WTC) final a bit early, sealing the fourth and final Test win by innings and 25 runs on just the third day of the fourth and final Test on Saturday.
England: 205 and 135 (Daniel Lawrence 50, Joe Root 30, R. Ashwin 5/47, Axar Patel 5/48); India: 365 (Rishabh Pant 101, Washington Sundar 96 not out, Rohit Sharma 49, Axar Patel 43, Ben Stokes 4/89, James Anderson 3/44)
India vs England 4th Test Report
India resumed the day at 294/7 with Washington Sundar and Axar Patel at the crease. The two batted for 91 minutes on Saturday morning and frustrated England for 20.4 overs to take the game further away as India finished on 365, which was 160 runs ahead of the visiting side.
Sundar kept up the attack as the final three wickets fell quickly and ran out of partners which kept him four runs shy of a well-deserved maiden century.
The lead was too much for England, who had to face 67 overs on the third day. And they succumbed under pressure even though the surface didn't play as many tricks like the ones during the previous two Test matches.
Between lunch and tea, India picked six wickets - three each by R. Ashwin and Axar Patel as England, starting the post-lunch session at six without loss, went to tea at 91 for six.
Patel got opener, Dom Sibley, for three and then Ben Stokes for two after the left-hand batsman miscued a sweep and was caught at leg gully by Kohli. Ashwin took the prized scalp of skipper Joe Root for 30 to virtually end England's hopes.
By the time the day meandered to an end and the shadows lengthened it was only the little-known Daniel Lawrence who was giving a tutorial to the other England players on how to play spin. After his 46 in the first innings, he made 50 -- his half-century coming off 93 balls, in the second, trying to give England some consolation of making India bat again. With no support, he failed.
Patel took a couple more wickets soon after tea to complete his fourth five-wicket haul in three Test matches. This was his third five-wicket haul in the two Tests at his home venue in Motera. His series haul stood at 27 in three Tests while Ashwin's haul was 32 scalps in four Tests. Ashwin took his third fifer in the series.
To the Indian bowlers' credit, they maintained a tight line, not giving any room as England tried their best to get away but just couldn't find any shot or area to score runs consistently.
This win was set up by wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who made 101 on day two, and Washington Sundar, who hit an unbeaten 96. Pant scored his third Test ton in a 113-run stand with Sundar to lift India from a precarious 146-6 in response to England's first innings total of 205.
The result ensured India won the series 3-1, coming back remarkably after losing the first Test.