India have been set a target of 420 runs to win the first Test in Chennai by opposition England. They still trail by 381 runs as they finished the fourth day on 39 for 1 after bowling out the opposition for 178 in the second innings. Ravichandran Ashwin took 6 for 61 to restrict England under 200, the second time round. Ishant Sharma picked up his 300th Test wicket earlier in the innings as well. More about the day 4 report in detail below.
India added 80 runs to their overnight score after they resumed on day four at 257 for 6. Washington Sundar was unbeaten on 85 and added a valuable 80-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin (31) before he was dismissed. Jack Leach and James Anderson picked two each India were bowled out for 337.
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Ravichandran Ashwin’s Six-For Keeps India Alive
England lost a wicket in the very first ball of their second innings. Ashwin got Rory Burns caught in the slips to Ajinkya Rahane. India and especially Ashwin took wickets at regular intervals to limit the opposition from scoring big. Joe Root (40) who top-scored in the first innings, top-scored in the second innings as well. Ollie Pope (28), Dom Bess (25) and Jos Buttler (24) came up with important contributions in taking England to 178 in the second innings. Ashwin took six as Shabaz Nadeem took two and the two Indian pacers took one each. Playing in place of Kuldeep Yadav, Nadeem had match figures of four for 233. He was the most expensive of all the Indian bowlers and bowled the most number of no-balls as well (9).
With 420 to win, India are potentially chasing a record score to win the first Test in Chennai. Rohit Sharma yet again was dismissed early in the mammoth chase. He scored 12 in the second innings after scoring just six in the first. Cheteshwar Pujara (12) and Shubman Gill (15) are unbeaten at stumps with India on 39 for 1 and still trailing by 381 runs. England, on the other hand, needs to take nine wickets in 90 overs on the final day of the first Test in Chennai to win the match and take a lead in the series.
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India 337 (Sundar 85*) and 37 for 1 need 381 runs to beat England 578 and 178 (Root 40, Ashwin 6-61)
