India pulled the curtain down on England’s winter of discontent in the manner befitting its dominance as the hosts clinched the five-match Test series 4-0 with an innings-and-75-run victory in the fifth and final match in Chennai on Tuesday.
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India had dominated the Test till the final day, apart from a period of studious batting by Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali on Day 1 and 2. The hosts wrested control of the match on Day 3, with almost-Double-centurion Lokesh Rahul and definitely-Triple-centurion Karun Nair denying the English bowlers any headway. Nair really took the bowlers to the cleaners on Day 4, becoming the second Indian (after Virender Sehwag) enter the 300 club and the third cricketer (after Gary Sobers and Bob Simpson) to convert his century on debut to a triple ton. Day 5 opened with scant hope of a result, England still vested with all 10 wickets, but then Ravindra Jadeja happened.
Read the match summary below to find out how the upheaval took place on the final day:
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In the 88th over , the shining southpaw Jadeja wrapped things up with two loopy deliveries. The third ball made Broad (1 off 16) tap it straight down Short-leg's lap after it turned and squirted off the wicket, which finally played to its bill of being a fifth-day pitch. And three deliveries later, Jadeja had Jake Ball (0 off 3) stretching forward and edging to slip.
In the 81st over , England had a mere two wickets in hand, Adil Rashid and Stuart Broad striving to play out the rest of the day. But Jadeja once again got into the action, pouching a slap from Rashid (2 off 18) at Point off Yadav's bowling.
In the 75th over , Amit Mishra struck with his first wicket of the innings, removing Liam Dawson for a duck.
In the 74th over , Jadeja got his five-for with the wicket of Ben Stokes (23 from 54), who chipped it into Karun Nair's hands at Midwicket.
In the 72nd over , Moeen Ali, who survived some close calls en route to his 97-ball 44, saw his fortune ran out in the 72nd over, when he skied it to Ashwin at Mid-on.
England 167/4 at Tea
Bairstow's attempted flick on a good-length ball, the second delivery of the 53rd over, bowled by Ishant, saw Jadeja in action once more, as he pouched it running backwards at Deep Midwicket. And it was 129-4.
At the end of the 50th over: England lost their third wicket with the score at 126. Joe Root fell to a well-considered LBW review off Jadeja's bowling.
In the 44th over , Jadeja struck once more. Ishant and Umesh had bowled good lengths, but it is Jadeja who got the second breakthrough when he caught-and-bowled Keaton Jennings (54 off 121).
At the end of the 42nd over - Spinners Jadeja and Ashwin doing it again with their skills to resist Cook from getting his half century. England were 102 with no loss of wicket, Cook 49(127) Jennings-47(103).
The momentum changed at the 40th over, when a tossed-up ball from Jadeja took the edge of Cook's bat and was caught by Rahul at leg-slip. This is the sixth time Jadeja has dismissed Cook in this series.
After 42 overs, England are 105 with one wicket lost - Root- 1(6) and Jennings - 49 (112)
England 97/0 at Lunch
England have gotten through to lunch unscathed, reaching 97 without suffering any early setback.
A strong partnership was forged between the two openers - Cook was batting on 47 while Jennings, was giving the English captain company on 46.
England still looking strong at 71/0 at the end of 30 overs, with Captain Cook and Jennings holding the fort. The hosts are looking for breakthrough in this partnership as Cook bats at 35* and Jennings at 33*
At the end of 20 overs, England scores 35 for no wicket loss. Captain Alaistar Cook (18) and Keaton Jennings (17) hold on for survival.
