Ashwin’s all-round show puts India in control of 2nd Test vs England

If there was a shot in the Mohali Test that said “you may as well shake hands now” it was Parthiv Patel’s upper cut off Ben Stokes for four with India needing 48 runs to win.

It is not often than a Test century is scored by a No. 8 batsman.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli (62) and Cheteshwar Pujara (51) also struck crucial knocks on day two to contribute to India’s total.

Ashwin kept up the pressure from his end as he bamboozled Moeen Ali (5) with a flighted delivery, causing the batsman to give away a catch to mid-on. India lead the five-match series 1-0 with one game drawn. If England lost this Test with their batting on the first day, they ensured that the defeat would be embarrassingly large on Day 3. “And obviously losing Ben Stokes in the last over just caps it off”.

With DRS bolstering the prospects of finger spinners, who can bowl it more quickly without compromise than most wrist-spinners, the latter have become a rarer breed in Test cricket with India, South Africa and New Zealand dispensing with their “leggies” for more orthodox options. India finally broke the partnership and ended England’s innings when Anderson was run out trying to scamper for a double.

First innings lead: India by 134 runs.

The hosts finished at 104-2 in 20.2 overs, chasing down the 103-run target with resolute ease.

Hameed and Root put on 45 runs for the seventh wicket.

Patel and Kohli (6 not out) then completed the formalities without any fuss.

The only consolation for England would be the fact that they managed to make India bat for the second in the match. Judging by previous examples – Anderson’s injury in South Africa springs to mind – the secrecy surrounding Hameed’s finger problem suggests that the England camp know full well it is serious.

Root, who opened in Hameed’s place, was largely untroubled until falling to a sharp slip catch by Ajinkya Rahane off the bowling of Ravi Jadeja.

Root was the top scorer in England’s second innings with 78 runs off 179 balls which included six hits to the fence.

Stokes deserved praise for his 5-73 and Adil Rashid (4-118) continued to enhance his reputation, but Ravi Ashwin (72), Ravi Jadeja (90) and Jayant Yadav’s 55 piled on the agony.

Struggling at 39/2, England promoted Jonny Bairstow to No.4 for the first time in his career but the stumper too departed after forging a brief 31-run third-wicket stand with Root. The first, triggered by Ravindra Jadeja, saw the opener escape as the ball was missing leg stump.

After the nightwatchman Gareth Batty (0, 7b) was dismissed in the second over of the day – lbw to Ravindra Jadeja – Jos Buttler came in and went into one-day mode.

The question therefore after tea was whether England could survive without much damage at the close and the answer was they couldn’t. “If wickets come, they come, if they don’t then (it’s not) big deal”, Rashid said at the media conference after the opening day’s play.