India spinners Ravi Ashwin (5/51) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/22) shared nine English wickets between them on day 3 (Feb 25) of the Ranchi Test to ensure India chase less than 200 to win the match and the series. Thanks to the spinners, England were bowled out for a paltry 145 runs in their second innings, setting India a target of 192 to take a 3-1 lead in the ongoing five-Test series. 

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In their second innings, India skipper Rohit Sharma (24 not out) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (16 not out) wiped off almost one fourth runs of the target in the eight overs bowled after England’s second innings. The hosts ended the day at 40/0 and require 152 more runs to win with two days left in the match.

It was Ravi Ashwin who started the downfall of England in the second session of the day. Ashwin claimed the wickets of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope off successive deliveries in the fifth over of second innings to bring India back in the match. England’s first innings centurion Joe Root then joined opener Zak Crawley on the crease. The duo added 46 runs for the third wicket before Ashwin struck again to send Root back on a team score of 69.

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Crawley, who scored a beautiful 60, was next to fall off Kuldeep Yadav. England skipper Ben Stokes continued to have lean series as he was also dismissed by Kuldeep after 10 runs and the visitors headed to tea on day 3 at 120/5 and a total lead of 166.

Ravindra Jadeja then joined his fellow spinners with the wicket of Jonny Bairstow (30) after tea. England then lost two more wickets in the same over for the second time in the day as Kuldeep dismissed Tom Hartley and Ollie Robinson.

English wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and spinner Shoaib Bashir then batted for nearly 13 overs but could add only 12 runs before Ashwin sent back Foakes. With England at 145/9, Ashwin struck once more in the same over – the third double-wicket over of day – to dismiss Anderson and complete his five-for.

Earlier in the day, India’s overnight duo of Dhuv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav continued to chip at the runs after starting from 219/7. They added 76 runs for the eighth wicket before James Anderson sent off Kuldeep shortly after India crossed 250 in their first innings. Jurel then batted well with the last two wickets, adding 54 runs more with them before being the last Indian wicket to fall at the stroke of lunch. He scored a magnificent 90 as India scored 307 in the first innings, conceding a lead of 46 runs.

For England, Shoaib Bashir took a five-for while Hartley took three and Anderson chipped in with two wickets.

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