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| 4th Test: Ruthless India crush England by 157 runs, take 2-1 series lead |
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London: India bowled magnificently on the final and fifth day to thrash England by 157 runs in the fourth Test and take a 2-1 unbeatable lead in the five-match series, here on Monday.
It was only second Test victory for India at the Oval and first after the historic 1971 triumph under Ajit Wadekar. The win took them to the top of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 table.
Chasing 368 for a win, England were bowled out for 210 in their second innings as they succumbed to the steady pressure built up by the Indian bowlers.
Earlier, Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed resumed on an overnight 77/0, and continued their partnership. Burns brought up his fifty, but fell to Shardul Thakur off the very next ball, nicking one to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
Dawid Malan was the next batter to be dismissed as Hameed tried to sneak a single after playing the ball to covers. However, substitute fielder Mayank Agarwal was quick to latch on to the ball and an inch-perfect throw to Pant resulted in Malan falling short of his crease.
Thereafter, captain Joe Root and Hameed took England to lunch at 131/2, adding just 54 runs to their overnight score while also losing two wickets.
India broke through right after the break with the wicket of Hameed as Jadeja bowled him.
Bumrah got in on the act next, castling Ollie Pope to scalp his 100th wicket in Test cricket. He then sent Bairstow back to the pavilion for a duck with a trademark yorker. England continued to lose wickets as Moeen Ali gloved one to short leg off Jadeja for nought.
Skipper Root and Woakes put on a 35-run partnership, but the stubborn stand came to an end a few overs before tea. Kohli's decision to hold off on taking the second new ball and bring on Thakur turned out to be a masterstroke as Root played on to his stumps.
Thereafter, it was a matter of time. Umesh Yadav was brought back into the attack for the final over before tea and snared the wicket of Chris Woakes.
Umesh struck again, hitting Craig Overton on the elbow and onto the stumps, before he wrapped up the innings, inducing an edge off Jimmy Anderson with a short one.
With India taking a 2-1 series lead over England at the Oval, the series now moves to Manchester's Old Trafford for the fifth and final Test which will begin on September 10.
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