Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    53
    84
    111
    10
    0
    63.09
    24.4 big appeal and given! And Crawley won't review. Huge moment. Axar was wide on the crease, and this skidded on with the arm as Crawley played for the turn. Misses the bat, strikes him on the front pad, plumb in front, and Crawley's excellent innings comes to an end. England four down inside the first session. 80/4
    2.3 he's got him! Ishant has got on a roll in his 100th Test match! And it's a very Ishant wicket too. The ball thudding into the pitch. Then decking away off it. Sibley is caught in his crease. He's surprised by the bounce. He's poking at the ball. The edge is taken. The edge off the shoulder of the bat. Very very very Ishant. And then a simple catch to Rohit at second slip. 2/1
    6.1 given out lbw but Bairstow has reviewed it! Axar might have a wicket first ball! There is no bat involved. It's just a tossed up ball angled into middle stump. The batsman is looking to play for turn, but it only just straightens. Just slightly to clip the outside of the front pad right in line with middle stump. Beautiful work. Umpire Menon's on-field call is vindicated. And India's move to spin - potentially to counter Crawley's start - has resulted in Bairstow's downfall 27/2
    21.5 fuller, and he has played back to one where he really should have come forward. Given out, but Root reviews! Ashwin's angle from around the stumps, and his ability to vary his line will always bring his mode of dismissal into play, especially with these two players showing a keenness to play back. This has missed the inside edge of the bat, and straightened enough to hit the top of leg stump. Stays with umpire's call, and that's a massive wicket for India 74/3
    28.5 struck on the back pad and given! Stokes reviews immediately Length ball, spun in to hit Stokes above the knee roll. No bat involved. Umpire's call according to ball-tracking, hitting the bail between middle and off stump, so the decision is upheld and England are six down! Not a huge amount of spin. Stokes was going back to defend, and just missed it! 81/6
    27.4 rips out off stump! Round the wicket, Pope plays down the wrong line and is beaten on the outside edge. The ball pings into the top of the off stump, pegging it back, and Pope goes for just 1. Ashwin has his second. Played for the turn, but it skidded on with the angle. Pitched on leg stump, a bit of drift, and Pope is nowhere near it 81/5
    48.4 knocks him over! He is too quick to play back too. He skids through. He's dangerous. And he has six wickets now. Lovely bowling from the left-arm spinner. Its like he's channelling Ravindra Jadeja ever since he put on his Test cap. And now he has a Ravindra Jadeja wicket too. A flatter ball that persuades the batsman to go on the back foot - Foakes then tries to cut and playing these kinds of bowlers with a horizontal bat is so so dangerous - but it then kisses the pitch and surges through to mess up his stumps 112/10
    11
    18
    16
    2
    0
    61.11
    34.2 knocks him over! Axar has four! And yet again it's the straight one that does the damage. Skids through, as Archer looks to hit him through point off the back foot. He's playing for the turn, with his feet stuck on the crease, but it isn't there. Beats him on the inside edge and crashes into the top of off stump. England are in a mess 93/7
    37.3 tight to the stumps, draws the edge, and gully snaffles the catch! Ashwin has three, India have eight. Length ball, which spun away from the bat and drew an edge. It looked like it carried to the man at gully/second slip, but they're checking for a fair catch. Soft signal is out. Pujara was in tight, left knee to the ground, right knee up. Did he just about manage to grab this cleanly? Hard to tell from either of the angles the TV umpire has seen so far. Looked to me like he managed to sneak his fingertips underneath it, but it's so hard to tell from this angle, and it sounds like there isn't a better one available. "Nice and slow," Mr Shamshuddin says. There's a stump cam angle too, and from there it looks like a clean catch... and the big screen confirms it. Leach goes! 98/8
    46.3 caaaaaaatch is the cry and it's taken at deep square leg! Axar Patel has five-fors in back to back Test matches. He slows this down. He lures Broad into a big sweep. It goes up in the air and it lands safely in the hands of Bumrah out there in the deep. Beautiful stuff from the left-arm spinner. His variations - using the big turner to set up the batsmen but knocking them over with the straight ball - have been exceptional. Axar gets a big boy handshake and a big ol bear hug from 100-Test man Ishant Sharma 105/9
    not out
    0
    3
    11
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    6 (b 1, lb 2, nb 3)
    TOTAL
    112 all out (48.4 Overs, RR: 2.3, 204 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Dom Sibley, 2.3 ov), 2-27 (Jonny Bairstow, 6.1 ov), 3-74 (Joe Root, 21.5 ov), 4-80 (Zak Crawley, 24.4 ov), 5-81 (Ollie Pope, 27.4 ov), 6-81 (Ben Stokes, 28.5 ov), 7-93 (Jofra Archer, 34.2 ov), 8-98 (Jack Leach, 37.3 ov), 9-105 (Stuart Broad, 46.3 ov), 10-112 (Ben Foakes, 48.4 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    I Sharma512615.2002
    JJ Bumrah631903.1601
    AR Patel21.463861.7500
    R Ashwin1662631.6200
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    66
    96
    208
    11
    0
    68.75
    40.1 Leach wins another lbw appeal from umpire Menon. Rohit opts to challenge this on-field out decision. Length ball, another delivery that slides in towards off, as opposed to turning away, Rohit misses the sweep altogether and is struck on the hip in line with off as he goes low. The tracker returns umpire's call on impact once again. Umpire Menon's on-field decision will stay 115/5
    14.6 short, fetches this from outside off, and gets a top edge. Taken at where a short leg might have been, such was the amount of time available to Crawley to get across from square leg. Pin-drop silence in the stadium. Archer gets the breakthrough that England desperately needed! The pull and hook should be used judiciously on a wicket like this, which even on the first day, has showed just a touch of variable bounce. Better to shelve those shots, if possible 33/1
    15.5 that could be close, as he stretches forward to defend. Given out, and are they planning to review it? No, Rohit talks him out of it. Massive wicket this for England. Leach bowls one out of the Axar Patel book of bowling on this pitch, by spearing one in and getting it to go straight through. Excellent thinking from the spinner, as Pujara is new to the crease and not likely to play any big shots straightaway. Rare failure, at least in terms of balls faced, for Pujara. But is there an opening here for England? 34/2
    27
    58
    85
    3
    0
    46.55
    32.2 bottom-edged onto the off stump! Leach gets Kohli! Length ball, and Kohli shaped to cut, playing for the turn. But it just skidded straight on, no real turn to speak of, and he was cramped for room. Kohli chops on, and Leach roars in celebration. Yet again, a straighter one from a slow left-arm spinner has done the job. Kohli looks furious with himself, getting out this late in the day 98/3
    38.2 skidder from Leach, and he has Rahane lbw. Full, skids into Rahane from left-arm around. The batsman elects to play back to this full ball which hits the pitch and seems to gather more pace, striking him on the pad in line with off even before Rahane had jabbed his bat down. It's the skidder that's more dangerous on this track. The tracker returns umpire's call on off stump 114/4
    41.1 caught behind! Root is ecstatic and Foakes is magnificent and Pant is - after a little conversation with his partner potentially about a review - is gone. England may not have picked a second spinner but their captain has mitigated that with his very first ball and isn't it a beauty. Tossed up ever so invitingly from around the wicket, drawing the left-hander into a drive. But then it starts to dip. It will pitch well outside of Pant's reach but he's committed to the shot and throws his hands at the ball. The turn on offer does the rest, snatching the outside edge and Foakes will never miss a chance to prove his keeping credentials 117/6
    49.2 hoicked across the line and taken at deep square! Root has another, Ashwin holing out with an ungainly wipe into the leg side. Tossed up invitingly and this time he couldn't get to the pitch sweeping, spat from the surface and went pretty much straight up, as everyone in the bowl craned a neck. India nine down 134/9
    45.1 Root knocks over Washington with a delightful offbreak. He wheels away in celebration. Root loops it up on middle from around the wicket, the length is nice and full, but this isn't the straighter one. It rips away past Washington's front-foot prod to hit the top of off stump. Big-turning offbreak from Root. Golden arm: two wickets, two maidens, zero runs scored off him 125/7
    45.3 gone, flapped to short extra cover! Tries to skip down and drills his shot, but it flies straight towards Sibley, who's crouching low and snaffles it at head height! Root has three for none in 15 balls! India are in a tailspin here 125/8
    not out
    10
    20
    41
    0
    1
    50.00
    53.2 struck on the back leg and given! Root has his five-for! Big old yahoo across the line from Bumrah and he's very adjacent, though he asks for a review because, why not? But ball-tracking confirms that would have thunked into leg stump, and this India innings is fully cooked! 145/10
    Extras
    5 (b 2, lb 2, w 1)
    TOTAL
    145 all out (53.2 Overs, RR: 2.71, 273 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Shubman Gill, 14.6 ov), 2-34 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 15.5 ov), 3-98 (Virat Kohli, 32.2 ov), 4-114 (Ajinkya Rahane, 38.2 ov), 5-115 (Rohit Sharma, 40.1 ov), 6-117 (Rishabh Pant, 41.1 ov), 7-125 (Washington Sundar, 45.1 ov), 8-125 (Axar Patel, 45.3 ov), 9-134 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 49.2 ov), 10-145 (Jasprit Bumrah, 53.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson1382001.5300
    SCJ Broad611602.6600
    JC Archer522414.8000
    MJ Leach2025442.7000
    BA Stokes301906.3310
    JE Root6.23851.2600
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    0.1 Axar cleans up Crawley first ball. Whoa! 90ks dart, full, slides in with the angle from around the wicket. The length is nice and full, but Crawley plays back to it and plays down the wrong line. Axar nails the stumps and celebrates another first-ball wicket. He had trapped Bairstow first ball in the first innings 0/1
    8.3 Pant thinks he has his man and goes up straightaway. Umpire Chaudhary raises his finger, but Sibley reviews the caught-behind decision almost immediately. Tossed up, dips, creating some distance between the bat and pitch of the ball and spins away into the gloves of Pant outside off. He smartly collects the ball to his right. Has Sibley nicked it? Yes, he has edged it while aiming for the sweep and Pant snaffles it. Sibley has to go. Good call from umpire Chaudhary 19/3
    0.3 Axar gets his man now. He sends back Bairstow for a pair. 93ks arm ball, fizzing in from around the wicket, Bairstow misjudges it and plays outside the line of it, searching for turn. Axar storms through his defences and celebrates once again. England: 0 for 2 0/2
    18.5 trapped in front and Root is walking! Ten in the match for Patel, in front of a jubilant crowd of fellow Gujaratis! The straight-onner is once again deadly, Root's bat a long way from the ball on this occasion, playing for turn that didn't materliaise - and he heads off after a brief glance at his partner. This game of skittles isn't going to last long 56/5
    17.2 Ashwin wins an lbw appeal from Menon, and celebrates. Ashwin nabs Stokes again. Stokes has a word with his captain and walks off. Pushed through fuller and quicker, skidding in at middle, at 94.5ks, from around the wicket. Straightens and clatters into the pad. Stokes suggests to Root that he hasn't nicked it and simply walks off. Given the extra bounce Ashwin has been getting with the new-ish pink ball, it might not have been a bad option to review this... 50/4
    12
    15
    19
    2
    0
    80.00
    21.6 bowls him, off stump! Sensational from Ashwin, and he's on to 399! Thought it might have been a carrom ball, as it seemed to dart away from Pope, who was pinned to the crease, working across the line - but no, released with his usual grip, just going on impishly to disturb the woodwork. Number of the Beast for England! 66/6
    28.2 does him on the inside, up goes the finger! Foakes reviews but possibly more in hope than certainty... It's close to the inside edge again, and umpire Shamshuddin is going to have to rock'n'roll his way through another tight one; no bat, into the pads, and crunching leg stump, says Hawk-Eye! Cheers roll down the stands as Motera greets a second five-for in the match for Patel 80/8
    23.2 full and straight, hit on the boot, 400 up for Ashwin! Archer has barely moved his front foot forward and swipes at it, misses to be pinned in front... The review is in vain, Hawk-Eye has it demolishing middle stump! Ashwin raises an arm to acknowledge the swell of cheers from the crowd. The shootout continues 68/7
    29.4 sliced into the bread basket of slip! Leach decides that his best option is to try and flay a few more, but doesn't get near the pitch, the ball spins and a thick edge squirts to Kohli, who knows his team are closing in on 2-1 here (tricky chase notwithstanding) 80/9
    not out
    1
    7
    13
    0
    0
    14.28
    30.4 tossed up and Anderson reverses, tickled into the gloves! Pant collects, India appeal and up goes umpire Chaudhary's finger - England have no reviews, so that will be that! England shot out for 81, their lowest Test score against India 81/10
    Extras
    0
    TOTAL
    81 all out (30.4 Overs, RR: 2.64, 96 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Zak Crawley, 0.1 ov), 2-0 (Jonny Bairstow, 0.3 ov), 3-19 (Dom Sibley, 8.3 ov), 4-50 (Ben Stokes, 17.2 ov), 5-56 (Joe Root, 18.5 ov), 6-66 (Ollie Pope, 21.6 ov), 7-68 (Jofra Archer, 23.2 ov), 8-80 (Ben Foakes, 28.2 ov), 9-80 (Jack Leach, 29.4 ov), 10-81 (James Anderson, 30.4 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    AR Patel1503252.1300
    R Ashwin1534843.2000
    Washington Sundar0.40111.5000

Match Details

Toss

England , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Series result

India led the 4-match series 2-1

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

14.30 start, Tea 16.30-16.50, Dinner 18.50-19.20, Close 21.30

Match days

24,25 February 2021 - day/night match (5-day match)

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Points

India 30, England 0

Close of Play

  • Wed, 24 Feb - day 1 - India 1st innings 99/3 (RG Sharma 57*, AM Rahane 1*, 33 ov)
  • Thu, 25 Feb - day 2 - India 2nd innings 49/0 (7.4 ov) - end of match

Match Notes