AGENCY
VISAKHAPATNAM: India today scripted a resounding 246-run win over England in the second cricket Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series riding on a superlative effort from the spin troika, here.
Chasing an improbable 405, England were bowled out for paltry 158 shortly after the lunch break to give the hosts their second biggest victory in terms of runs against the visitors.
Having defended doggedly on the fourth evening, the visitors caved in without much resistance losing eight wickets for an addition of 71 runs with Ravichandran Ashwin (3/52) and debutant Jayant Yadav (3/30) being the wreckers-in-chief at the Dr YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium which hosted its first ever Test match.
Having showed some tenacity yesterday to bat out 59.2 overs with 87/2, England were blown away this morning and lost five wickets in 33.4 overs in the first session before India bowled them out for 158.
It took India 24 balls and 22 minutes passed lunch to cruise victory and take a 1-0 lead with more than a session to spare.
While skipper Virat Kohli’s aggregate of 248 runs (167 and 81) laid the cornerstone of victory, the contribution of India’s premier all-rounder Ashwin (52 runs and match figures of 8/119) was equally significant.
Ashwin now has 231 wickets from 41 Tests apart from 1670 runs that includes 4 tons and 7 half-centuries. Ashwin also became leading wicket-taker of 2016 with 55 wickets surpassing Sri Lankan Rangana Herath (54 scalps).
Not to forget young Jayant, who bowled a ripper to get Ben Stokes and played a couple of gritty knocks down the order. He first trapped Stuart Broad (5) LBW, and then dismissed James Anderson for a golden duck in similar manner as England went for reviews but in vain.
Mohammed Shami (2/30) was menacing when the ball reversed and Ravindra Jadeja did his bit in the second innings providing important breakthroughs. When the final wicket fell, the celebrations were muted as Kohli just picked up a souvenir stump and shook hands with rival players.
It was a study contrast as the top three batsmen of Alastair Cook (54), Haseeb Hameed (25) and Joe Root (25) consumed 439 balls — 73.1 overs — but the rest have fallen in a heap what can be termed as a meek surrender.
Earlier, Root had some lucky escape with Virat Kohli dropping the English No 3 on nine at leg slip and a decision was also overturned.
Finally, the first opening came after 15 minutes into the day with Ashwin removing a tense-looking Duckett, who perished trying to play the sweep.
There was extra bounce but Duckett’s shot selection did him in as the ball hit his gloves and hit the pad before looping into Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves.
SCORECARD
India 1st innings 455/10
England 1st innings 255/10
India 2nd innings 204/10
England 2nd innings
AN Cook* lbw b Jadeja 54
H Hameed lbw b Ashwin 25
JE Root lbw b Mohammed Shami 25
BM Duckett c †Saha b Ashwin 00
MM Ali c Kohli b Jadeja 02
BA Stokes b J Yadav 06
JM Bairstow† not out 34
AU Rashid c †Saha b Mohammed Shami 04
ZS Ansari b Ashwin 00
SCJ Broad lbw b J Yadav 05
JM Anderson lbw b J Yadav 00
Extras 03
Total 158/10
