LEACH CAN SUCK LIFE OUT OF HOSTS

JACK LEACH has been tipped as England’s potential match-winner on the final day of the first Test against India, after proving he has not been scarred by a barrage of sixes off the bat of Rishabh Pant.

England have been ahead of the game for the vast majority of the series opener in Chennai and head into the fifth morning needing nine wickets to claim victory, with a huge lead of 380 to play with.

The only stage where India have really threatened to flip the momentum came when Pant went on the counterattack in India’s first innings and smashed Leach for five sixes on his way to 91 - including four in the space of just seven deliveries.

It was the kind of assault that can leave its mark on a bowler but Leach was unfazed when he returned to the attack with figures of nought for 100 on Monday, dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin and Shahbaz Nadeem to help wrap up the tail.

He was then trusted with the new ball as the hosts padded up for the second time and took out Rohit Sharma’s off stump with a handy dose of turn past the outside edge. That left the scoreboard at 39 for one chasing a world record 420.

“I was so pleased Leachy got that wicket tonight, I thought he really deserved that,” said bowling coach Jon Lewis.

“Every day as a cricketer you go out wanting five wickets or a hundred, but that doesn’t often happen.

“You are going to have more bad days than good days as a cricketer and you are going to have to deal with those. Jack showed his character with the way he came back after Pant got after him yesterday.

“He’s bowled an absolutely beauty to get out Rohit - who is obviously a class, class player - and looks a real threat on this pitch.

“He could walk away with four or five wickets tomorrow and we could win a Test match - I’m pretty sure people won’t be talking about Rishabh Pant’s first-innings runs if he does that.”