Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill completed the final rites as the hosts romped home to a comprehensive 10-wicket win against England on Day 2 in Ahmedabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium. India’s second consecutive win gives them an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
Spinners R Ashwin and Axar Patel starred with the ball in both innings with the senior pro becoming the second fastest to 400 Test wickets, while the left arm spinner picked his maiden 10-wicket haul, finishing with 11 in the game. Ishant Sharma, playing his 100th Test, started off the rout on Day 1 while Washington Sundar put the seal on England’s second innings.
Rohit (25*) and Shubman (15*) played a few exquisite shots when afforded the chance during the short chase of 49 which they completed with more than an hour to go in the final session of Day 2.
Rohit Sharma smashed Joe Root for a six to finish things off at the world’s largest cricket stadium.
Before Ashwin’s feat, Axar wreaked havoc with the new ball, dismissing Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow within the first three balls of the second innings to reduce the visitors to 0/2 in the first over. England lost three to Axar before Root and Ben Stokes wiped out the deficit and departed soon after. Axar finished with his third consecutive five-wicket haul in only his second Test.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma top scored for India with 66 as they finished on 145 with a lead of 33 runs at the end of the first session. England had been bowled out for 112 in the first innings on Day 1.
Just after India edged ahead, the fight back began with Leach sending Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit packing before Root picked his first 5-fer.
India began Day 2 with the score at 99/3 with Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma as the overnight batsmen. India lost the wickets of Shubman Gill (11), Cheteshwar Pujara (0) and Virat Kohli (27) on the opening day, with Jack Leach picking two big ones.
Rohit and Rahane did not need a second invite to put the bad ones away in the first hour and quickly knocked off the 13 runs they needed to take the lead, needing only 4 overs to overtake England. Rahane worked a single to the leg side off the final delivery of Leach’s over to give India the lead.
Right after, England’s spinners got into the act again as Leach had Rahane beaten by the straighter one and trapped LBW for 7.
Rohit too could not hang in there for too long and followed Rahane back into the pavilion for 66 when he was trapped LBW by Leach while trying to sweep from outside the off-stump.
The procession continued with Pant edged the first one he faced from Joe Root into the gloves of Ben Foakes for 1 as India lost their 3rd wicket within the first 9 overs of the Day 2.
While Ashwin looked to score a few quick runs at his end, Sundar, who has impressed everyone with his batting up until now, was beaten all ends up by Root for 0.
Before the over was out, Axar Patel looked to attack Root and could not clear cover as Dom Sibley took a sharp catch.
Ashwin, who scored a century in the second Test, could only manage 17 as he holed to Zak Crawley while trying to attack Root with the slog sweep, giving Root his fourth wicket in his 5th over.
Ishant, in his 100th Test, hit his first six in his career as he and Jasprit Bumrah added 11 runs for the final wicket before the hosts were bundled over for 145, with a lead of 33.
The trend continued as the sides changed roles - Axar Patel, who picked the last wicket of England’s first innings, struck with the first ball after the change over, sending Zak Crawley packing.
He almost had a hat-trick only for the review to save Jonny Bairstow from an LBW decision, momentarily. Off the next delivery, Axar went through Bairstow’s gates and hit the wood work, reducing England to 0/2.
Root and Dom Sibley held out for the next 8 overs and added 19 runs before the opener tried to sweep Axar over the infield and edged one to Pant, who made no mistake. Axar picked his third for the innings and ninth for the game as Ben Stokes joined the captain with England under the pump.
Root and Stokes continued to hop like a cat on a hot tin roof but managed to eclipse India’s lead midway through the second session as Axar and Ashwin kept at it.
Root survived a very close LBW decision as the review worked in the visitors favour just before they reached the 50-run mark in the innings.
Not long after, Stokes was beaten by R Ashwin yet again and trapped LBW for 25 as India started to tighten the screws. It was Ashwin’s 398th Test wicket and his 11th dismissal against Stokes.
Right after, Root was trapped LBW by Axar for 19 after a 45-ball knock, reducing England to 56/5 and giving the left-arm spinner his first 10-wicket haul in only his second Test.
Ashwin then made Ollie Pope his 399th Test wicket when he beat him all ends up to leave England reeling at 66/6.
After Axar hustled through his over from the other end, Ashwin returned and trapped Jofra Archer LBW for 0, to pick his 400th Test wicket in only his 77th game.
Along expected lines, Axar wasn’t going off the attack and registered his third consecutive five-wicket haul when he trapped Ben Foakes LBW for 8, as the Dinner Break approached.
But Ashwin was in a hurry, and had Jack Leach caught sharply by Rahane at first slip as England were reduced to 80/9.
In the 31st over, India brought in Washington Sundar into the attack for the first time in the Test and he wrapped up the innings with the wicket of James Anderson. England were bowled out for 81 and India needed 49 to win the Test and take an unassailable lead in the series.
At the Dinner Break, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were batting for India with the score at 11/0 after 2 overs.
The duo played freely after the break and in the 8th over of the innings, Rohit tonked Root for a couple of boundaries and a six to put the seal on the win.
England are out of the reckoning for a place at Lord's for the World Test Championship final. India now need to ensure they don't lose the final Test.
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