England vs India 5th Test Day 3, Highlights: England Humiliate India by Innings and 244 Runs, Win Series 3-1
India had no answers to England's premium fast bowlers or even batsmen ever since they won the second Test in Lord's. What followed was three consecutive defeats at Southampton, Manchester and at The Oval, the last blow being even more brutal after a humiliating innings and 244-run loss. England won the series 3-1 in the end. Catch all the highlights of the third day of the fifth and final Test match here.
England beat India by an innings and 244 runs in the fifth and final Test match to win the series 3-1. Follow highlights here. (Scorecard)
21:02 (IST): England will be delighted with the series result, all looked doom and gloom for them after the defeat at the Lord's. But ever since the drop of Cook on 15 by Jadeja on 15 in the 3rd Test, India have gone down badly, putting no fight at all. It became embarrassing for India when their tail batted better than their top order in the last three Tests. Their star players did not perform in Pujara and Kohli. England got benefited from the poor cricket from India and the pair of James Anderson and Moeen Ali, yes Ali wrecked havoc for India.
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20:53 (IST): England humiliate India by innings and 244 runs to win five-match Test series 3-1.
20:43 (IST): OUT! Varun Aaron is run out for 1. India 84/9 after just 27 overs in this innings. Fuller on middle, Aaron clips it through the fine leg region for a single. The throw comes in from Ali and Aaron is not quite in the crease, infact he is way short. India finding ways to get out and ending their misery.
20:36 (IST): OUT! Bhuvneshwar is caught at second slip by Bell and India are now 74-8. Chris Jordan gets his third.
20:31 (IST): Jordan to Ashwin. OUT! Everything's working for England! Ashwin tries to punch one through the covers but gets an outside edge. The ball flies to Ballance at third slip. He has a grab at it but the ball pops out of his hands. Bell, at second slip is alert and takes the catch. Ashwin has to go, India 70/7!
20:28 (IST): Woakes to Ashwin. 3 runs! Fuller outside off, Ashwin gets to it and creams it down the ground. They run three and that's a good effort since Ashwin was involved here. India 70/6.
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20:20 (IST): Jordan to Kohli. OUT! One more bite the dust! Fuller outside off, Kohli fishes at it and gets an outside edge. The ball goes through to the first slip fielder and Cook takes a sitter. One more failure for Kohli and India sink further! India 62-6, this is getting worse.
20:18 (IST): Binny and Kohli still in there but hopes of the Indian spectators are melting. India 62/5, staring at defeat.
20:13 (IST): India have just survived till the drinks beak of this session. The players take drinks! India 55/5. Binny 6*, Kohli 19*.
20:02 (IST): Broad to Binny. FOUR! Good shot! Fuller outside off, Binny gets to the pitch of it and drives it handsomely through the mid off region for a lovely boundary. India 53/5.
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19:56 (IST): OUT! MS Dhoni falls! Woakes bowls it on a good length on middle, Dhoni just tucks it straight to short leg fielder where Robson takes a good reflex catch. That came more of the inside edge and Dhoni has to go for a duck. A rare failure from the Indian captain this series, given his scores in the series. India all but down and dusted. India 46/5.
19:52 (IST): Broad to Rahane. OUT! What a catch from Ballance! Good length outside off, Rahane pokes at it. The ball dips low to the second slip fielder, Bell dives to his right to take it. But hang on, Ballance dives to his left from third slip and takes a stunner with his left hand. What a terrific catch and England are just nipping India into the bud here. India 45/4.
19:45 (IST): A little flick of the wrist from Kohli off Woakes and he gets four! India 43/3, trail England by 295 runs. Kohli moves on to 16.
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19:37 (IST): Can this be the day Virat Kohli finally breaks his run of bad form and get a much-needed 50? He's still far away from that though batting on 12 not out. India 34/3 trail England by 304 runs. Rahane (2*) is with Kohli on the other end.
19:27 IST: WICKET! And Pujara has rounded up a horror tour with another cheap dismissal. Anderson has taken his second wicket of the innings, as India reel at 30/3, trailing England by 308 runs.
19:20 IST: FOUR! Broad drags it short outside the off-stump and Pujara was quick to cut towards third man. Good, aggressive intent. If a ball is there to be hit, it has to be hit. India are 27/2, trailing by 311 runs.
19:12 IST: R Ashwin had said the pitch had become much better for batting on the second day. Suddenly, with the Indians batsmen on it, the surface looks dangerous again. Of course, the overcast conditions and the rain are not going to make matters any easier for the tourists. Meanwhile, Anderson and Broad are spitting fire with the ball.
19:01 IST: Play has resumed after a long rain delay. India will need to bat with a lot of application if they want to keep England at bay.
18:36 (IST): Play is set to resume at 7 pm IST now after a brief rain delay. India 9/2 trail England by 329 runs.
18:25 (IST): The covers are coming off and an inspection is due at any time now. IND 9/2.
18:14 (IST): Covers are still on at The Oval and it seems like we will have a delayed start after an early lunch. IND 9/2.
18:00 (IST): Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar said yesterday that India cannot win Tests abroad regularly. Read more here.
17:50 (IST): India at 9/2 are staring right in the eyes of yet another innings defeat here in England. Both the openers are back for them and India have all the catching up to do. Earlier, Root carried on his form and scored an unbeaten 149 to take England to a lead of 339 with a handy knock from Broad. The lead was too good and the bowlers just backed it up for them. Do join us in a while for the second session.
17:37 (IST): Sri Lanka are closing in on a massive series win against Pakistan. The second Test being played at Colombo happens to be Mahela Jayawardene's last Test match. Catch all the updates from that game here.
17:30 (IST): There's plenty of other cricket going on besides this game at The Oval. South Africa have set Zimbabwe 310 to win in the first ODI at Bulawayo. Get live updates from that match here.
17:25 (IST): An early lunch has been taken with rain coming down heavily at The Oval. India 9/2 trail England by 329 runs.
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17:20 (IST): OUT! Gambhir (3) out with a suicidal run! Fuller on middle, Gambhir tucks it towards the on side and looks for a single. He is sent back, there was never a single. Woakes scores a direct hit at the striker's end and catches Gambhir short of the crease. And just as he gets out, the rain begins to fall! Oh dear, nothing is going right for India! India 9/2.
17:17 (IST): Stats time: Only three England batsmen have registered five or more centuries before attaining the age of 24 - Alastair Cook (7), Len Hutton (5) and Root (5). Root made 149 not out today as England were all out for 486. India 8/1 right now, trailing England by 330 runs.
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17:13 (IST): OUT! Vijay is out for 2, caught LBW by James Anderson. Anderson in prime bowling form! Bowls it outside off, comes in a long way, Vijay is stuck on his back foot as he fails to read that one. The players appeal and the umpire rules it out. That was really well bowled from Anderson, he bowled the out swingers before this and got this one to nip back in! India 6/1. Pujara is the next man in.
17:09 (IST): Gambhir struggling in the middle. He can't seem to find the bat while facing the likes of Broad. IND 6/0.
17:00 (IST): Broad to Gambhir. FOUR LEG BYES! Bowls it on the pads, Gambhir tickles it past the keeper for a boundary. The umpire calls it leg byes. IND 6/0.
16:57 (IST): India survive James Anderson's first over. Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir open. Stuart Broad to bowl from the other end. IND 1/0.
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16:44 (IST): England are firmly on top and will be even thinking of bowling India out today itself. It's going to be a tough ask for the tourists but will they fight?
16:42 (IST): A massive, massive reply from England. They bowled India out for a score of 148 and now have amassed 500 runs, getting a lead of over 350. The top order performed for England with Cook and Ballance scoring fifties. Root then took up the mantle and scored a ton to get England firm and into the driving seat from all ends. Ishant was the best bowler for India, taking 4/96!
16:40 (IST): England all out for 486, lead India by 338 runs. Joe Root remains unbeaten on 149.
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16:36 (IST): Drinks break and there is a slight drizzle at the ground now. England 483/9 lead India by 335 runs.
16:30 (IST): Joe Root has now become the highest run-getter in this series. He has now got 510 runs compared to Gary Ballance's 503. England 478/9. Anderson 1*, Root 141*.
16:24 (IST): OUT! Broad is out for 37, caught by Kohli off Ishant. England 463/9.
16:19 (IST): Aaron to Root. FOUR! BANG! The intention is clear! Bowls it on a length on off, Root clobbers it back past the bowler for a boundary down the ground. England 461/8.
16:12 (IST): The English lead has now stretched past 300. Root is batting on 115 along with Broad on 35. ENG 449/8.
16:08 (IST): The wind has picked up speed at The Oval. England now 441/8, the lead over India has gone up to 293 runs.
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16:00 (IST): Ishant bowls Root out but it turns out that he overstepped and it has been given as a no-ball. ENG 430/8.
15:54 (IST): Aaron taken for 16 runs in his over. England 423/8 and lead India by 275 runs now. Broad 21*, Root 104*.
15:48 (IST): Stuart Broad is the new man in and he seems to be playing without a mask right now. ENG 407/8.
15:44 (IST): OUT! Jordan is gone for 20, caught behind by Dhoni off Ishant! Ishant bowls it on a length outside off, Jordan has a tame push at it and only manages to edge it through to the keeper. No appeal from the bowler as it was obvious.England 400/8.
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15:42 (IST): Root gets to his 5th Test hundred. England 400/7, lead India by 252 runs now.
15:38 (IST): Root slams Aaron for four on a nice pitched-up delivery and he goes up to 97. England 394/7 now.
15:36 (IST): The pitch is still hard, a bit of green tinge so the ball will swing a bit more with the overcast conditions. There are a few cracks which can come into play later.
15:35 (IST): The weather looks clear for now, with almost 66 percent chance of rain, predicted during the Lunch session. Overall, overcast conditions!
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15:33 (IST): Ishant to Jordan. FOUR BYES! Shorter length on middle and leg, going down, Jordan lets it go and the keeper misses it as well. The umpire signals it byes. England 390/7.
15:32 (IST): The players are on the field now! JOE ROOT and CHRIS JORDAN are the two batsmen for England. Root will look to get to his ton first and then take up the scoring. ISHANT SHARMA to bowl first up.
15:10 (IST): Hello everyone and welcome to the coverage of day three of the fifth and final Test between England and India at the Oval. India tried to comeback with wickets yesterday but England, thanks to fifties from Cook, Ballance and Root have got their lead past 200. Root is batting on 92 not out and will hope to bat well with the tail and get the lead over 300. It's going to be one more testing day for the tourists.
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Sunil Gavaskar has said it all in an interview to NDTV on Saturday night. When a batting line-up with tremendous potential fails continuously, young fielders drop catches and bowlers get belted, even the staunchest India supporter feels hurt. Gavaskar reflects the mood of the Indian cricket fan, who is fast losing patience and belief on Team Dhoni's ability to perform overseas. The captain, of course, has been an exception, but individual performances don't win Test matches.
Alastair Cook made 79, Gary Ballance 64 and Jos Buttler 45 as England turned the screw after their four-pronged seam attack dismissed India for 148 on the first day. Root ended on 92 not out with Chris Jordan on 19 and England will look to add quick runs Sunday morning before attempting to bowl out India again to clinch the series which they lead 2-1.
"It's great that we have batted all day and given ourselves a good lead," said Ballance. "There's a bit of seam movement and if you bowl in good areas you can create chances. Hopefully, it will still do that tomorrow," he added. That's a warning for India's floundering top order batsmen.
The Indians have been extremely generous in this series. They have gifted wickets, dropped sitters and given width to the batsmen. Cook was dropped twice after the lunch on Day 2 before pushing at a wide ball from Varun Aaron and being well caught low down by Murali Vijay at first slip to end a second-wicket partnership of 125.
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These partnerships have been crucial for England's domination in the series. India's best batting in this Test has been a 10th wicket stand between Dhoni and Ishant Sharma. The lopsidedness of India's overall performance has been damning.
Where talented men like Kohli and Pujara have failed to handle the moving ball, Yorkshireman Root reached his half-century off 93 balls, including a six and two fours, to become the fourth England batsman to pass fifty in every Test of a five-match series.
Walter Hammond achieved the feat against South Africa in 1938-39, Peter May did likewise against the South Africans in 1955 and John Edrich made at least a half-century in each of six tests on the 1970-71 Ashes tour of Australia. Root and Jordan added 67 for the eighth wicket off 62 balls, the former hitting nine fours to move to the verge of his fifth Test century.
England deserve to win at the Oval. The odds, like most of the series, will be against India.