A quick finish on Day 5 in Mumbai saw India take the Test series 3-0. Ending Day 3 on 182/6, India were expected to wrap up the game today, but no one expected it to end so soon as Ashwin took yet another five-wicket haul in an innings and ten-wicket haul in a match.
The off-spinner had the rigid Bairstow undone by the carrom ball in the 3rd over of the day and cleaned up Woakes in his next over. He got an early Christmas gift when Rashid hoisted him straight to deep midwicket and Anderson gave him his share of the gift too in his next over as Ashwin finished with 6/55.
England became the first team to lose after posting 400 in the first innings at the Wankhede. A lot of credit goes to Virat Kohli and Jayant Yadav, who took India to a position of strength with a sublime partnership.
A victory by an innings and 36 runs puts England's first innings total to shame and it has to be said that their poor bowling completely outdid the work done by their batsmen.
Here are the talking points from the 4th Test at Mumbai.
#5 India find able backup for Ashwin
India now have a backup option to Ashwin and a threat to Jadeja in matches outside the sub-continent in the form of Haryana’s Jayant Yadav. Such has been the all-rounder’s introduction to Test cricket that there is no longer a debate about Amit Mishra being sidelined.
Yadav was impressive in the third Test and ruthless here in Mumbai as he plundered his maiden Test hundred to go with his fine spell with the red cherry in hand. Although he did not get any wickets in the first innings as Ashwin and Jadeja completed 10 between them, he contributed a vital 104 with the bat and ably supported his skipper in a fighting partnership that took India to a dominating position.
In the second innings, he got the vital wicket of Joe Root, who was looking dangerous on 77 and virtually put an end to England's resistance. The breakthrough was all Ashwin needed to run through the lower order.
#4 Jennings’ mixed Test
Keaton Jennings made a superb hundred in his debut Test innings against the turning ball. Such was his assuredness with his footwork and defence that he reverse swept his way to a hundred on debut. He seemed the perfect foil to Alastair Cook, who has not had much luck with opening partners since the retirement of Andrew Strauss.
Jennings’ first innings glory was followed by a golden duck in the second innings as he played back to a Bhuvaneshwar Kumar delivery that missed his bat and thudded onto his pads. To come down from the initial glory that you soak in during a Test career is pretty common. However, it came a little too soon for the Durham batsman.
That said, there is no doubting that England have unearthed a fine opener. Much like Alastair Cook in his youthful years, Jennings looks set for a long haul in the Test side. He will, however, have to fight off challenges from the young Haseeb Hameed.
#3 Vijay returns to form
India had blanked England without one of their best players in Tests with the bat contributing. Vijay has been phenomenal for India ever since his debut, notching up hundreds in tough and alien conditions.
However, after his hundred at Rajkot, he was searching for form after failing in 5 innings. The turn around came at Wankhede as he strode out with a positive mindset and attacked the seamers and lofted the spinners.
Despite miscuing a couple of lofts, his confidence was right up there and he made it count with a spectacular hundred that helped India overcome the initial blues of tackling England's first innings 400.
#2 Virat Kohli's dream year continues
Kohli continued to dominate bowlers around the globe with his third double century, and possibly the most important of them at the Wankhede. Walking in at 146/2 and staring at a first innings total of 400, Kohli set about building a fine innings.
He got able support from Vijay, who completed a ton himself, and later put up an excellent partnership with Jayant Yadav, as the Indian captain notched up yet another double hundred. Only Michael Clarke has recorded more double hundreds in a year, with four.
Kohli and Yadav plundered the English bowlers in a 241-run stand that took India way past England's total. The confidence Kohli has instilled in youngsters in the side has rubbed on himself too and this knock is proof of his unmistakable self-confidence.
#1 Ashwin continues to excel
Ashwin continues to reap benefits at home, recording yet another 10-wicket haul in Tests, with 12 in this game. He picked up 6 apiece in both innings as the England batsmen failed to counter his numerous variations.
He was patient and pounced on any weakness of the opposition, out thinking them with his skills and field placements. He was virtually the skipper when bowling with Kohli giving him complete control of the field and Ashwin using it to plot the batsman's downfall.
His first innings dismissal of Root and the thinking behind it is a lesson for any young spinner, let alone off-spinner. The Tamil Nadu spinner has been unstoppable at home and has exploited any turn on offer to his advantage. These were the best figures by a spinner at the Wankhede.
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