SIXER AXAR
Left-arm spinner takes 6 wickets as India dismisses England for 112
Axar Patel’s six-wicket haul bundled England out for 112 before Rohit Sharma’s elegance shone through in an unbeaten half-century that handed India the edge on the opening day of the Day/ Night third Test here on Wednesday.
The combination of left-arm spinner Axar and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin exploited the turning Motera pitch, with England’s first innings folding in just 48.4 overs after the visitor opted to bat. Local lad Axar (6 for 38) got his second five-for in his second Test while Ashwin (3 for 26) took three wickets.
At stumps, India was 99 for three from 33 overs with Rohit batting on 57 off 82 balls. Ajinkya Rahane (1 batting) was giving him company following skipper Virat Kohli’s dismissal in the second last over of the day. Kohli was dismissed for 27 off 58 balls by leftarm spinner Jack Leach (2 for 27).
Earlier, a nightmare unfolded for England with the 47-run stand for the third wicket being its best. The away side lost its last six wickets in the second session and its last seven wickets yielded just 38 runs.
This was after Ishant Sharma, who is only the second Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev to play in 100 Tests, fittingly took the first wicket in the third over.
After Ishant got the first wicket, it was an Axar and Ashwin show as the duo bamboozled the England batsmen. Crawley (53 off 84 balls) was the lone exception and hit a delectable half-century. Crawley’s brilliance was however neutralised by the India spinners as England was left reeling at 81 for four going into Tea.
Two wickets fell in as many overs after the resumption, with Ashwin and Axar taking one each. Ashwin sent Ollie Pope’s off-stump cart-wheeling with a beauty before Axar trapped Ben Stokes LBW in the next over. Jofra Archer (11) did a tad better as he hit a four off the second ball he faced and another boundary off Ashwin.
But Axar dismissed him soon, cleaning up his off-stump. England’s rapid slide continued with Leach edging one to gully, where Cheteshwar Pujara took a low catch off Ashwin.
Brief scores: England (1st innings) 112 all-out in 48.4 overs (Z Crawley 53, A Patel 6/38, R Ashwin 3/26); India (1st innings) 99 for 3 in 33 overs (R Sharma 57*)