IND vs ENG: 1st Test – Spinners dominate day four as India face a mammoth target

England still have the advantage over hosts India in the ongoing first Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. While India did well to bowl out the visitors for just 178 runs in the second innings, the huge 241-run lead on the basis of the first-innings total saw England putting up a huge total of 420 runs. At stumps on day 4, India were on 39 for 1 with Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara out there in the middle. While the pitch is still decent for batting, the uneven bounce could make things trickier for the home side.

So before the final day drama unfolds, here are the four talking points from day four:

1. Ravichandran Ashwin’s 6-fer leads India’s fightback:

Ravichandran Ashwin has been India’s biggest match-winner in the last few years especially at home and he proved it once again on Monday. While only time will tell whether his latest effort would result in a win, draw or loss, he has definitely helped India gain some confidence and momentum.  After conceding a huge lead of 241 runs in the first innings, India needed to bowl out England and their spin spearhead rose to the occasion. The off-spinner ran through England’s lineup, picking up 6 for just 61 to help India bowl out the visitors for a modest 178.

2. Rohit Sharma’s struggle continues:

Time seems to be running out for Rohit Sharma in Tests once again. The senior batsman has not delivered at the top of the order in Tests since impressing in his debut series as a Test opener against South Africa in 2019. He has not scored a century since then. In his latest failure, he was out for 12 at a time when India were in a desperate need of a good start. With the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul waiting in the wings, Rohit needs to deliver consistently or risk losing his place in the Test side again.

3. England’s strange tactics with the bat in the second innings:

Despite being firmly in command of the proceedings thanks to the huge 241-run lead in the first innings, England were seemingly worried about declaring their innings. The visitors showed some positive intent by looking for runs and scoring at a brisk risk but strangely played for time, perhaps making it clear that they were not confident of saving the total even on a day five pitch. Having batted for more than two days in the first innings, England were not in a hurry to declare in the second innings either before being all out.

4. India’s no-ball problem:

*India 1st innings*
20 no-balls in 190 overs = A no-ball every 9.5 overs

*England 1st innings*
1 no-ball in 95 overs

— Vivek Raju (@vivekraju93) February 8, 2021

On an unfriendly wicket, India’s miseries were further compounded by no-balls. While the England batsmen were making them toil hard in the Chennai sun, the bowlers were doing no favours to themselves by overstepping more often than not. In the first innings, India bowled as many as 19 no-balls. Things did not improve in the second innings either as their bowlers bowled seven no-balls in less than 47 overs.