Mumbai: India captain Virat Kohli (235, 340b, 25×4, 1×6) struck a sublime double century before his bowlers picked up six England wickets to put the hosts on course for a series-clinching victory in the fourth and penultimate Test at the Wankhede Stadium here Sunday.
Trailing 2-0 in the series, England needed a win in Mumbai to keep alive the series but the tourists now require something extraordinary to even save the match following Kohli’s batting masterclass.
India piled on 631 in their first innings on the fourth day, a lead of 231 runs over England, after Kohli’s third double century of the year.
The touring side were 182 for six in their second innings at stumps, still trailing by 49. Jonny Bairstow (50 batting, 95b, 2×4) was unbeaten on the crease with night watchman Jake Ball falling for two in the last over before the close.
Paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/11) dismissed first-innings centurion Keaton Jennings for a golden duck and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2/58) sent back England captain Alastair Cook (18) and Moeen Ali for nought to leave England tottering at 49-3 at tea.
Joe Root (77, 112b, 11×4) and Bairstow hit brisk fifties during their stand of 92 for the fourth wicket before the former fell leg before to off-spinner Jayant Yadav (1/39).
The wickets of Ben Stokes (18) and Ball to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2/49) towards the end further dampened England’s hopes of saving the match.
Bairstow was given out by umpire Bruce Oxenford first on 32 and then on 37 but the England wicketkeeper managed to overturn the decisions both times on review.
Earlier, the 28-year-old Kohli was out for a career-best double century and added 241 for the eighth wicket, the highest for India, with Jayant (104, 204b, 15×4), who scored his maiden Test hundred. Kohli, who was on 147 overnight, and Jayant continued to torment the England bowlers who went wicketless in the first session after India resumed on 451 for seven.
The right-handed batsman has now scored a double hundred in all three series India have played in 2016 — in West Indies, against New Zealand and now against England. Kohli, who has already scored 640 runs in the series at an average of 128, drove Ball for a straight four on the fifth delivery of the day to get past 150, signalling another harrowing session for the England bowlers.
Kohli got past his 200 with a single to mid-wicket off leg-spinner Adil Rashid but his celebration was quite muted compared to when he completed his hundred Saturday. He raised both his hands while completing the run and took off his helmet before acknowledging the applause from the sizeable Sunday crowd at the ground, overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Kohli accelerated after the fall of Jayant and was out caught at the cover boundary off Chris Woakes. Jayant, whose previous highest score was 55, looked in discomfort only against a couple of short deliveries from the England fast bowlers.
Jayant happy to take batting responsibility
After becoming the first number nine Indian batsman to score a Test hundred, rookie Jayant Yadav said he always had been a handy batsman at the domestic level.
“I have always been a handy batsman, ever since started playing in junior cricket. But as I came up the ranks, I always wanted to build this side of my game and my Ranji Trophy team really helped me do it,” said Yadav after making a superb century.
“Even though I was batting down, I had responsibility. So taking that responsibility, you really grow as an all-rounder player, I would say a holistic development of a player,” said the 26-year-old Delhi-born player who plays for the neighbouring Haryana in the Ranji Trophy.
“I scored my double hundred at No. 9, I scored my first Test hundred at No. 9, I am happy at No. 9,” added the three-Test old player, referring to his double century against Karnataka at Hubballi three seasons ago.
Yadav said his first goal when he came on to bat Sunday morning with Kohli was to get to his second half century in Tests. “To be very honest, when I came out to bat in the morning, I was just vying for the fifty because I was just 20 runs short. I just went with the flow and things just kept happening,” he said.
Shami, Saha ruled out of 5thTest
India’s injured fast-medium bowler Mohammed Shami and first-choice wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha were Sunday ruled out of contention for the fifth and final Test against England, to be held in Chennai from December 16 to 20.
Both players missed the ongoing Mumbai Test owing to injuries. Shami had been troubled by an injury on his right leg through the series. The pacer managed to play the first three Tests despite clutching his hamstring while bowling in the opening game in Rajkot.
“BCCI medical team confirmed that Indian pacer Mohammed Shami and wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha are ruled out of the fifth Test of the Test Series-2016, starting December 16, 2016, against England in Chennai,” Board secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement.
The BCCI release added, “Shami has soreness in his right knee and has been advised rest and rehabilitation. He will be going to the National Cricket Academy, Bangalore to start his recovery programme.
“Saha who suffered a hamstring tendon injury in the second Test of the ongoing series against England at Vizag, is undergoing rehabilitation programme at the NCA.” In Saha’s absence, Parthiv Patel has taken over the keeping gloves since the third Test in Mohali.
Agencies
