After the hosts threatened to run away with a match that the tourists needed to win, India resurrected on day two of the series’ final test on Friday, when their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead.
In a blistering return to Bazball, openers Zac Crawley and Ben Duckett raced to a blistering 92-0 in 12 overs after cleaning up India’s brittle tail in less than 30 minutes.
However, continuing the series’ back-and-forth theme, India responded by relentlessly firing their bowlers in to reshape England, who had already reached 247. In a potentially awkward final 90 minutes, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored quickly before India came within 75-2 with 52 runs ahead of the pivotal match, which left the crucial match fascinatingly poised.
India resumed with a score of 204-6, but soon lost to 224 as pace bowler Gus Atkinson took five wickets in his first Test since May.
This summer, the tourists did a far-too-familiar collapse, with Washington Sundar being arrested for 26 and Karun Nair falling lbw for 57. After that, Atkinson bowled Mohammed Siraj and had Prasidh Krishna duck for ducks, resulting in a 5-33 total.
England began to respond in their customary, swashbuckling manner, as demonstrated by Duckett’s extraordinary “reverse hook” for six off Akash Deep.
The fastest opening partnership England has ever created in a Test was a 50 overs partnership, but Duckett was caught behind and reversed for 43 before falling just short of the 100-run mark.
At lunch, England appeared to be in command, but India, like they have all summer, resisted as Crawley (64) and Ollie Pope (22), both departed quickly.
Joe Root maintained his usual calm until Siraj retreated on 29 for a brief brief briefing, with Jacob Bethell following shortly after.
Krishna wrapped up the session with a stellar catch by KL Rahul in the slips for eight, a follow-up with a wicket taken by Atkinson, who finished with 4-62.
Harry Brook was bowled for 53 in a game that ended with a rain delay for England, who were all out for 247. He became Siraj’s fourth victim as a result of a late flurry.
India’s openers quickly overcame that and continued well beyond, with Jaiswal looking particularly entrepreneurial on his way to a quick 51 despite being badly dropped in the deep on 40. Deep was not out four as Rahul left tamely for seven off Josh Tongue, and Sai Sudharsan followed, lbw to Atkinson for 11.
