Ashwin hits ton as India scent victory in second Test
CHENNAI :Ravichandran Ashwin hit a sparkling century and took a key wicket on Monday to edge India closer to a series-levelling victory in the second Test against England, who face a daunting target of 482 to win.
The tourists, who lead the four-match series 1-0, were struggling at 53-3 at stumps on the third day with Dan Lawrence (19) and skipper Joe Root (2) at the crease.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel took two wickets including Dom Sibley (3) and nightwatchman Jack Leach (0).
Pundits have criticised the pitch at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium with former England captain Michael Vaughan calling it a ‘Chennai beach’.
Following up on his five wickets in the first innings, Ashwin got Rory Burns caught at slip for 25 to take his match tally to six.
Ashwin scored his fifth Test century and first against England before India were bowled out for 286 in the final session.
Spinners Moeen Ali and Jack Leach claimed four wickets each.
England have been battling to avoid defeat since a first innings collapse on the second day, and will have to mount a record run chase to secure a miracle victory.
The Chennai-born Ashwin survived reprieves on 28, 56 and 70. He then got to his hundred with an edge to the boundary, which was met by loud cheers from the home crowd.
He put on a 96-run seventh-wicket stand with skipper Virat Kohli, who made 62 before falling to Moeen’s off spin.
Ashwin got help from last man Mohammed Siraj to get to his century as they put on 49 for the final wicket. Olly Stone bowled Ashwin to end India’s innings.
Resuming the day on 54-1, India lost five wickets in the morning session with Ali and Leach combining to do some damage.
Cheteshwar Pujara went for seven after a freak run out when his bat jammed behind the crease while attempting to get back following a flick to short leg.
Sharma, who made 161 in India’s first innings, added one to his overnight 25 before being stumped by wicket-keeper Ben Foakes off Leach.
Foakes, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Monday, was in action again to send back his Indian rival Rishabh Pant, stumped for eight off Leach again.
The stadium witnessed a security breach in the lunch break when a boy walked onto the ground from the stands near where players from both sides were practising. Security guards escorted him away.
Fans have been allowed to watch the second Test action live in Chennai, the first time that has been permitted at a stadium in India since the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Scoreboard
INDIA (1st Innings) 329 (R.G. Sharma 161, A.M. Rahane 67, R.R. Pant 58; Moeen Ali 4-128, O.P. Stone 3-47). ENGLAND (1st Innings) 134 (B.T. Foakes 42 not out; R. Ashwin 5-43). INDIA (2nd Innings, overnight 54-1): R.G. Sharma st Foakes b Leach 26
Shubman Gill lbw b Leach 14
C.A. Pujara run out 7
V. Kohli lbw b Moeen 62
R.R. Pant st Foakes b Leach 8
A.M. Rahane c Pope b Moeen 10
A.R. Patel lbw b Moeen 7
R. Ashwin b Stone 106
Kuldeep Yadav lbw b Moeen 3
I. Sharma c Stone b Leach 7
Mohammed Siraj not out 16
EXTRAS (B-5, LB-15) 20
TOTAL (all out, 85.5 overs) 286
FALL OF WKTS: 1-42, 2-55, 3-55, 4-65, 5-86, 6-106, 7-202, 8-210, 9-237. BOWLING: Stone 6.5-1-21-1; Leach 33-6-100-4; Moeen Ali 32-7-98-4; Root 4-0-15-0; Broad 9-3-25-0; Lawrence 1-0-7-0. ENGLAND (2nd Innings): R.J. Burns c Kohli b Ashwin 25
D.P. Sibley lbw b Patel 3
D.W. Lawrence not out 19
M.J. Leach c R. Sharma b Patel 0
J.E. Root not out 2
EXTRAS (B-4) 4
TOTAL (for three wkts, 19 overs) 53
FALL OF WKTS: 1-17, 2-49, 3-50. BOWLING (to-date): I. Sharma 2-1-6-0; Patel 9-3-15-2; Ashwin 8-1-28-1
Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2021