Virat Kohli’s career-best Test score and Ravichandran Ashwin’s 12-wicket haul helped India beat England by an innings and 36 runs in the fourth Test at Mumbai. The hosts have won the series and will be looking to make it 4-0 when they go to Chennai for the final Test.
After losing the toss, India did well to restrict England to 400 despite a century on his debut Test innings by Keaton Jennings. In response, thanks to centuries from three different batsmen, including career-best scores for Kohli and Jayant Yadav, India took a 231-run lead.
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England just crumbled after and despite fifties from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, England could only manage 195 as Ashwin took a six-wicket haul in the second innings, including all four wickets to fall on day five to help India record an innings victory.
Here are the reactions to India’s convincing victory:
Piers Morgan:
Aakash Chopra:
Rohit Sharma:
Cheteshwar Pujara:
Harbhajan Singh:
Virender Sehwag tweeted this just after the start of the fifth day.
VVS Laxman:
Irfan Pathan:
S Badrinath:
Pragyan Ojha:
Alex Tudor:
Virat Kohli heaps praise on Ashwin
Indian Test captain Virat Kohli was the Man of the Match for his 235 but he was quick to praise Ashwin for his efforts.
“We are running out of words to describe Ashwin. The impact he has had on this team. The batsmen have played second fiddle to his performances. Any team would love to have him. It's very difficult to get past him,” the 28-year-old said.
Speaking about the victory, he admitted: “It's a very special feeling. The way the crowd came out here and supported it helped us push through the tough moments. The 231-run lead deflated the opposition, we saw their body language and knew the game was wrapped up when we had that lead. We haven't played on Indian wickets with too much bounce so the adjustment was very important.”
The Indian skipper also praised Vijay and Yadav for their centuries and was quick to admit that he was “nervous before this game” and termed the series win as “the sweetest we've had in recent times.”
England captain Alastair bemoaned his side’s inability to take the chances that came their way but admitted that India were the better side.
“In the second innings we had our chances. We aren't taking those chances at the moment. Virat played an extraordinary innings but we had a chance on 60-odd to get him. Those are things that the game changes on. We are in it for three days but not good enough to stay in it. We haven't been good enough to match India,” Cook said.
Indian coach Anil Kumble admitted that the win was “very special”.
“We lost three tosses and we had to chase down whatever England set. For us to get to 600 with seven down was exceptional and the bowlers were excellent,” Kumble said. “He (Ashwin) is constantly working on his bowling. He knows that carrom ball can be difficult to pick and he showed that with Bairstow's wicket. We are the No. 1 team and we have the potential to become the best ever Test team in terms of results. Hopefully it's 4-0 in Chennai. We'll have a look at the pitch and take a call.”
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Murali Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin will next play in Chennai, which is their home ground and both players admitted they are looking forward to it. Murali Vijay said: "It is a great feeling to contribute to the winning cause. As Ashwin mentioned, to win after what we went through in England, it is a great experience to be part of.”
Ashwin hopes that there are more wickets to come. “Today is a very enjoyable victory,” the off-spinner remarked. “When England came here last time we lost mentally and on the field. It is very special to win the series here in Mumbai. I haven't bowled it (top spinner) in the series before. I thought there wasn't much bounce in the earlier wickets. So I had to wait for a wicket that had bounce more to bowl that ball. It is a bat big first innings as in the second innings the soil becomes loose. Virat and Vijay batted extremely well to set it up.”
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