The third day of the ongoing fourth Test match between India and England which was played in Ranchi proved to be an interesting one, which left the encounter in an interesting position on day four.
India resumed on day 3 at 219/7, with Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav continuing to frustrate the England bowlers. Slowly and surely the deficit continued to dwindle, but after a brilliant 76-run partnership between the two, Kuldeep Yadav was bowled by James Anderson for 28 runs.
After this wicket, Dhruv Jurel took the command and shepherded the remaining two wickets well, and was in line for his first Test century.
But Tom Hartley broke his heart as Jurel was bowled by the left-arm spinner for 90 runs (4 sixes and 6 fours), as India’s innings folded for 307 runs. England’s lead was kept down to 46 runs only.
Shoaib Bashir of England picked his maiden fifer and finished on 5/119, while Hartley took 3 wickets and Anderson picked 2 scalps.
In reply, Zak Crawley did well to score 60 runs with 7 fours and Jonny Bairstow made 30 runs, while Indian spinners troubled the England batters on a pitch that turned tricky in the second and third session.
R Ashwin proved to be the main destroyer at the start with crucial wickets of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Joe Root. He was aided by Kuldeep Yadav, who removed Crawley and Ben Stokes as England folded for 145 runs.
Ashwin finished with his 35th Test fifer, taking 5/51, while Kuldeep finished with 4/22, as India was set 192 runs to win the Test and go 3-1 up in the series. Openers Rohit Sharma (24*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (16*) have shaved off 40 runs from the target already.
The cricket fraternity was all praises for the Indian bowlers, especially Ashwin taking a fifer, and lauded the performance on X.
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