India ended day three of the fourth Test against England at the JSCA International Stadium in a promising position, chasing 192 runs for victory to secure the series. At stumps, they were 40/0, still requiring 152 more runs to win with two days remaining.
Captain Rohit Sharma showcased his prowess, capitalizing on full and overpitched deliveries from Tom Hartley, amassing four boundaries to remain unbeaten on 24. Hartley's lack of experience with the new ball worked in India's favor.
Yashasvi Jaiswal displayed confidence against Joe Root, effortlessly sweeping the ball, ending the day unbeaten on 16. The Indian team displayed resilience on Day Three, starting 134 runs behind England's first innings total with only three wickets in hand. However, a vital 76-run partnership between Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav (scoring 28 off 131 balls) revitalized their position in the match.
Although Kuldeep fell victim to James Anderson, Jurel, in just his second Test, survived a close call on 59, eventually becoming India's top scorer with an impressive 90 off 149 balls.
Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc with the new ball, claiming his 35th five-wicket haul in Tests, finishing with figures of 5-51. Kuldeep provided crucial support, taking 4-22, while Ravindra Jadeja also contributed with a wicket.
In the final session, England faltered, losing five wickets for just 25 runs in 21 overs. Jonny Bairstow's dismissal on the first ball set the tone, followed by crucial strikes from Kuldeep and Ashwin. Ben Foakes survived momentarily but fell victim to Ashwin's deceptive delivery.
Ashwin completed his five-wicket haul when James Anderson attempted a reverse sweep and was caught by Jurel. India's dominance was further highlighted as Rohit and Jaiswal capitalized on loose deliveries, ending the day with all wickets intact, inching closer to sealing the series victory in Ranchi.
Brief scores:
England 353 & 145 all out in 53.5 overs (Zak Crawley 60, Jonny Bairstow 30; Ravichandran Ashwin 5-51, Kuldeep Yadav 4-22) lead India 307 in 103.2 overs (Dhruv Jurel 90; Shoaib Bashir 5-119) & 40/0 in 8 overs (Rohit Sharma 24 not out, Yashasvi Jaiswal 16 not out) by 152 runs
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