ASH-TONISHING
Offie Ashwin takes 6/61 as India stage fight back
The ebbs and flows of Test cricket make it an intriguing spectacle. The fourth day of the opening Test between India and England was high on drama. The hosts who had begun the penultimate morning with the laborious task of saving the Test worked their way into contention. Chasing
420, India now need 381 runs in 90 overs with nine wickets in hand to cap off one of the greatest comeback wins in Test cricket.
It’s not going to be as simple as the equation suggests though. The redsoil surface is expected to deteriorate further on day five and Virat Kohli & Co. would also be mindful of the fact that the highest successful chase on Indian soil was 387, incidentally against the same opposition at the same venue. Can India do it again?
Having lost Rohit Sharma (12) early, India, who were 39 for one at stumps, will resume the proceedings with Shubman Gill (15 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara
(12 not out) in the middle. An enthralling day’s play is on the cards with fans hoping for yet another incredible chase much like the recent Brisbane heist.
The day, however, belonged to Chennai boys Washington Sundar and R. Ashwin. An elegant left-handed batsman, Washington showed a lot of maturity, scoring an unbeaten 85 that helped India cut down their first innings deficit to 241. The two TN players put on 80 runs for the seventh wicket. For Washington, it was his second successive Test half-century.
Washington’s senior state-mate Ashwin then took on the mantle to put England’s second innings plans in disarray. Ashwin’s 6/61 — his 28th five-wicket haul and third in as many matches at Chepauk — dismantled Joe Root & Co. for 178. England’s second essay fizzled out especially after going through motions post-tea.
In the morning session, left-arm spinner Jack Leach and pacer James Anderson grabbed two wickets each as England bowled India out for 337, to take a lead of 241 runs.
India made their intentions clear when Kohli tossed the new ball to Ashwin who struck off the innings’ first ball to remove Rory Burns with a beauty. Ishant Sharma
the completed his landmark 300th when he trapped Dan Lawrence. As wickets fell at regular intervals, England found it difficult to accelerate.
Ashwin who had to slog for 55 overs to take three wickets in first innings on a flat surface bowled with venom.
All-rounder Ben Stokes came a cropper by edging one to the wicket-keeper off Ashwin. Joe Root again top-scored for
England with a brisk knock of 40 (32 balls) before falling prey to the reverse swing of Jasprit Bumrah.
Ollie Pope’s wicket at 130 for six — holed out to Rohit Sharma in a bid to reverse sweep Shahbaz Nadeem — changed England’s approach on its head. They were in an attacking mindset until Pope departed. By cleaning up Jofra Archer, Ashwin claimed his fifth.