England’s slim hopes of forcing a series-levelling victory received a major boost early in the second session on day four in Ranchi after Ravindra Jadeja spooned an innocuous Shoaib Bashir delivery straight to Jonny Bairstow at mid-wicket.
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India started the day in total control of the Test, resuming play on 40-0 in pursuit of 192. It wasn’t until the score reached 84 that the first wicket fell, Joe Root drawing a miscued drive from Yashasvi Jaiswal with James Anderson taking an excellent diving catch at short third.
India captain Rohit Sharma fell eight overs later with the total on 99 before Shoaib Bashir struck the following over to dismiss Rajat Patidar for nought. Shubman Gill and Jadeja knuckled down before the lunch to get their team to 118-3 at the interval, seemingly on course for a straightforward victory.
But Bashir was in the wickets once more straight after the break, dismissing Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan in consecutive deliveries. The wicket of Jadeja come courtesy of a rare loose delivery from the young English off-spinner. A low full toss was flicked by Jadeja straight to Bairstow at mid-wicket, handing England an opening.
Jadeja’s dismissal echoed that of Bairstow on the previous day who chipped tamely immediately after the interval off the bowling of Jadeja. That wicket continued a dramatic England collapse, the visitors will hope that Jadeja’s dismissal on day four has a similar effect as they seek to keep the series alive going into the five Test of the tour.
