By Brian Thomas
Eyebrows were raised as Virat Kholi, decided that Ravichandran Ashwin will sit out again for the 4th Test at the oval.
India rested Mohd Shami, and reintroduced Shardul Thakakur in place of the struggling Ishant Sharma ,and stuck to their corporate policy of a four-man seam attack with the inclusion of Umesh Yadev.
The script looked similar to that of Headingley. Put into bat, the strong Indian batting lineup huffed and puffed against an accurate seam and swing display by the English seam attack.
James Anderson was taken off the attack, as openers Rohit Shara and k.L Rahul ensured to stop the square drive early in their innings.
Rohit Sharma, was then lured into a fuller length, swinging delivery, and the stylish right-hander obliged Chris Woakes by nicking him to the safe hands of Jhonny Bairstow who is doing the glove duty in the absence of Jos Buttler with the score on 28. Sharma much to the disappointment of the Indian supporters was gone for 11.
Olie Robinson was back with his indipper tactic. He pitched a indipper in the 6 meter corden, and had Rahul plum in front wrapped on the pads for 17 , hence India lost their 2nd wicket on 28.
Pujara , is struggling in England. James Anderson did him with a wide of the crease inswinger and the right-hander obliged, caught by Bairstow for 4 , India looked in disarray on 39 for 3 wickets.
The Cricketing fraternity was taken by surprise when Ajay Jadeja joined his skipper Virat Kholi instead of Ajinkya Rahane. What’s up India was the question?
Experts felt Kholi wanted a left-hander at the Wickets, to break the English rhythm of bowling to right-handers. Jadeja after stroking 2 boundaries fell victim to Craig Overton for 10 , and Virat Kholi looked perplexed with Moin Ali grasping a simple catch and the Indian batting display was not good as the scoreboard read 69 for 4 wickets.
Ajankiya Rahane and Kholi did a bit of mending but the Indian skipper’s hard-fought half century came to a close with Bairstow gloving his third victim off Ribinson , Kohli out for 50, and India on 105 for 5 wickets. This is bad reading.
Rahane went for 14 caught by Mohin Ali, off Craig Overton and India were now looking down the barrel at 116 for 6 wickets.
Rishab Pant was disappointed his fans yet again out for 5 , with the Indian batting going nowhere 127 for 7
Shardul Thakur came to the aid. Cartered the English attack for a quickfire 54, hence the breath in the Indian dressing room was better as they moved to 190 for 8 wickets to be ultimately bowled out for 191.
Ollie Robinson 3 for 38, Woakes 4 for 55 , Anderson and Overton a wicket each was recorded in the scorebook.
India stuck back. Bumrah to the foe. He sent back Burns and Hameed for 6 runs on the board. The former for 5 bowled him neck and crop, the latter for a golden duck, caught by Pant. India took the prize scalp of Joe Root, when the leading run-scorer was bowled by Umesh Yadev for 21 with England on 53 for 3 wickets.
At the Wickets is Dawid Marlan on 21 and Nightwatchman Craig Overton on 1 run.
The 4th Test is evenly poised.
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