In the 5th Test Day 3 between India and England, Ravichandran Ashwin dominated as England’s top three batsmen succumbed within the initial 10 overs of their second innings.
After India declared at 477 with a lead of 259 runs, Ashwin claimed four wickets, while Kuldeep took three, pushing England towards an innings defeat before Lunch.
Ashwin completed his five-wicket haul with Ben Foakes’ dismissal, followed by Jasprit Bumrah taking two wickets in one over, leaving England with just two batsmen.
Earlier, James Anderson achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first fast bowler to claim 700 Test wickets, dismissing Kuldeep Yadav. Shoaib Bashir secured his five-wicket haul, aided by quick glovework from Ben Foakes, ending India’s innings at 477 with a lead of 259 runs.
On Day 2, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill guided India to a commanding position with their centuries, contributing to a total of 473-8. Despite Ben Stokes ending an eight-month wicket drought and Anderson nearing his 700th wicket, India maintained control with a 3-1 series lead.
Debutant Devdutt Padikkal’s spirited fifty was cut short by Bashir’s three-wicket burst, while Tom Hartley dismissed Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin in quick succession. Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah’s unbeaten partnership of 45 runs will resume on Saturday, aiming to extend India’s total beyond 500.
In the first session of Day 3, Rohit and Gill dominated England’s bowlers, but Stokes’ magical delivery dismissed Rohit, ending a 171-run partnership. Anderson then claimed his 699th Test wicket by dismissing Gill, who scored 110 off 150.
While Day 3 is traditionally considered the moving day in a Test match, the exceptional performance of the Indian bowling lineup makes it appear as though it could be the final day.
The pitch seems devoid of challenges, emphasizing the need for a standout performance from England’s bowlers, particularly Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, who have both claimed five-wicket hauls in this series. With spinners proving effective from Day 1, and Anderson eyeing his 100th wicket, both teams face a formidable challenge in Dharamsala.