On this day in 2021: Ashwin and Rohit help India beat England in Chennai

Stakes were incredibly high when India hosted England in a four-match Test series last year. The home team had to win the series by at least 2-1 to secure a place in the inaugural World Test Championship final. On the other hand, the Three Lions required nothing less than a 3-1 triumph to qualify for the summit clash. As England recorded a comprehensive 227-run win in the opening game, the hosts were under the pump.

However, Virat Kohli’s men made a brilliant comeback in the second clash and levelled the series with a 317-run victory. In fact, that win came on this very day (February 16) in 2021. Speaking of how the encounter panned out, India won the toss and elected to bat at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the same venue where the opening Test took place.

Having lost opener Shubman Gill for a duck, India were on the back foot straight away. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli couldn’t do much either. However, Rohit Sharma joined forces with Ajinkya Rahane and steadied the ship. The former also went on record a brilliant hundred, scoring 161 off 231 deliveries. As a result, India posted 329.

Ravichandran Ashwin was at his all-round best

In reply, England batters never got going and got skittled out for just 134 runs. Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the wrecker-in-chief for India as he scalped a brilliant five-wicket haul. Now, this wasn’t Ashwin’s only stand-out performance in the game. India were reeling at 106/6 when Ashwin came out to bat in the third innings.

He put up a batting exhibition and slammed a brilliant ton in front of his home crowd. As England had to chase a mammoth 482 for win, their defeat was a mere formality. Axar Patel spun his web in the last innings and took his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests. Ashwin added three more wickets to his tally as England were bundled out for 164, losing the contest by 317 runs.