India beat England by 317 runs in the second Test in Chennai as the spinners shared all the 10 English wickets in the second innings. This also brought to an end England’s six-match winning streak in Asian conditions. The hosts thus are back in level-terms in the four-match series at 1-1. Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded the Man of the Match for his all-round performance. More about the day 4 report of the second Test in detail below.
With seven wickets required to win the game on day four, a charged-up Indian team took the field under Virat Kohli’s leadership. Ravichandran Ashwin took the first wicket as it started a procession. Wickets fell at regular intervals with the Indian spinners making it increasingly difficult for the English batters to score runs. It was more about survival than scoring the needful runs for them. Moeen Ali top-scored in the second innings with an 18-ball 43 with wickets falling at the other end.
Axar Patel then took the biggest wicket of the English batting lineup, that of Joe Root for 33. He made the ball rise as it took the edge of Root’s bat to get him caught at slips. The England spinner was surprised to see the bounce generated by the delivery. The left-arm spinner took a fifer in his very first Test match and made it a memorable one.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Reacts After India Thrash England In The 2nd Test
Kuldeep Yadav, who did take a single wicket in the first innings, took two in the second as he made the ball talk. Importantly none of the Indian bowlers bowled a no-ball or a wide and displayed immense discipline throughout their bowling effort.
Axar Patel Takes Fifer On His Test Debut For India
A few records were achieved in this Test match as well. Axar Patel joined an elite list of cricketers to have picked up a fifer on debut and Ashwin scored a century and took a fifer in the same match thrice. Overall, Ashwin’s match figures read 119 runs and eight wickets.
There were contributions from Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, and skipper Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant. All four players played their part in shaping up the win for the Indian team. The partnership between Rohit and Rahane was crucial in the first innings, while Kohli’s 62 and his stand of 96 with Ashwin helped India stretch their lead past 450.
Pant’s unbeaten 58 also played a part in taking India to a defining score on the second morning when England bounced back by bowling out Virat Kohli & Co cheaply.
Also Read: Axar Patel Reacts After An Eventful Test Debut In Chennai
On level terms, both teams will now look forward to the next Test match in Ahmedabad which starts in a week’s time. It will be the second-ever Pink-Ball Test on Indian soil.
Brief Scores:
India 329 and 286 beat England 134 and 164 (Moeen Ali 43, Axar Patel 5-60) by 317 runs
