England vs India 2018: 5 reasons why India lost the fourth Test

Despite fifties from captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, India fell well short of the target of 245 on day four and ending up losing not just the fourth Test but also the series as well, as England now have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match Test series.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, England were bundled out for 246 but it would have been much worse if it wasn't for Sam Curran. In response, India looked set for a big first-innings lead but a collapse following Kohli's wicket meant that they were only able to take a slender lead courtesy of an unbeaten century by Cheteshwar Pujara.

In the second innings, England didn't get off to a good start and India kept taking wickets at regular intervals. But a fifty from Jos Buttler and some useful cameos from the top and lower order meant India had to chase 245 to win the Test and level the series.

While Kohli and Rahane were batting and had added a century partnership for the fourth wicket, it looked possible. But once again, Kohli's wicket meant that another collapse and India ended up on the losing side.

Here are 5 reasons why India lost the fourth Test at Southampton:

Letting England off the hook in the first innings

Both captains were eager on batting first. One look at the pitch and you might have thought that their eagerness to bat first would have indicated a batting paradise where 500 was easily on the cards.

Instead, what happened was an impressive display of new ball bowling from India after losing the toss and some loose shots from England. That combination meant that after itching to bat first and having got the opportunity to do so as well after winning the toss, England were 86/6 with their top six all back in the pavilion.

While England are known for their ability to score right down to the last batsman, from that position even they would have thought that a total in excess of 150 would require them to really bat out of their skin.

Instead, despite not doing a great deal, England's lower-order managed to get them from there to 246. Sam Curran top scored with 78 and instead of bundling England out for under 150, India let the hosts put on almost 250.

That immediately gave them a massive boost going forward in the Test as their bowlers at least had something to bowl at.

Inability to take a massive first innings lead

Pujara was left playing a lone hand

Irrespective of how the bowlers fared towards the second half of England's first innings, a total of 246 wasn't much at all. Especially considering how the pitch was behaving and the partnership between Kohli and Pujara, India looked on course for a lead of at least 100, if not more.

Instead, India were bundled out for 273 and the only reason they got that many was because of Cheteshwar Pujara, who was left playing a lone hand in the first innings. His unbeaten century should have been the difference between a massive lead and an ordinary one but instead, it was the difference between almost being bowled out and going into the second innings with a slender lead.

Batting collapse in both innings

Kohli's dismissal was the start of a collapse in both innings

In both the first and the second innings, Indian fans would have thought that they had a good chance of leveling the series. But on both occasions, a collapse conceded the advantage and eventually ended up being the reason India lost the Test.

In the first innings, India went from 142-2 before the loss of Kohli's wicket to 195-8 and were lucky to even take the lead. In the second innings, it was once again Kohli's dismissal that instigated the collapse. This time around, India went from 123-3 to 163-9 and only a couple of lusty blows from Ashwin reduced the margin of defeat for India.

Ashwin's disappointing display

Ashwin struggled in the fourth Test

3/124. 9/134. The former were the figures of Ravichandran Ashwin while the latter was Man of the Match-winning Moeen Ali's figures, who was making his comeback to the England side. Irrespective of whether he was fully fit or not, three wickets is not what is expected from someone widely regarded as the best spinner in the world.

It was not only that Ashwin was disappointing with the ball, when there was rough and the conditions were perfect for him to shine, it was that he was thoroughly outplayed by Moeen Ali. In the second innings, Ashwin had the ideal conditions any spinner would have wanted but instead of running through the opposition and being a menace, he barely made a mark.

And to top all of that, he made the wrong decision with the bat in the first innings, when a decent cameo from him with the bat, as he produced in the second innings could have given India a decent first innings lead.

Inability to seize the moment

Chasing moderate totals in the fourth innings, India just seem unable to get over the line

Four times this year, India have been set a target of over 190 but less than 300 and for the fourth time this year, India failed to chase that target in the fourth innings. Against South Africa earlier this year, India were set a target of 208 and 287 in Cape Town and Centurion where they were bowled out for 135 and 151.

In this series alone, India were set a target of 194 in Edgbaston where they were bowled out for 162 and chasing 245 in Southampton, they were bundled out for 184. Chasing in the fourth innings in a Test is never easy. There is a reason why runs are always harder to come by in the final innings of a Test.

But on four occasions this year alone, India have had an opportunity to an overseas Test if only they batted sensibly in the fourth innings. And for the fourth time, they have failed to do so.