Third Test: India win pink ball Test inside two days, go up 2-1 in series
Spinners call the shots as England are shot out for 81 on a dust bowl in second innings
Kolkata: India swamped England by 10 wickets to win the pink ball Test inside two days on a treacherous wicket at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to go up 2-1 in the four-Test series against England.
The visitors were all out for 81 in the second session of play, which nullified their advantage of restricting India's first innings lead to only 33 runs earlier in the day. Needing 49 runs to register a crucial win, Indian openers Rohit Sharma (25 not out) and Shubman Gill (15 n.o.) knocked off the runs without any hiccups.
Earlier, Jack Leach and Joe Root dragged England back into the contest as they combined to skittle the hosts out for 145.
Resuming on 99-3, India looked on course for a handy first-innings lead before Leach and Root wrecked them in the low-scoring, spin-dominated test which looks set for an early finish.
India lost their last seven wickets for 31 runs and collapsed at the stroke of tea with a slim first-innings lead of 33 runs.
Root (5-8) claimed his maiden five-wicket haul, while Leach returned 4-54.
Earlier, India eclipsed England’s first-innings total of 112 before the wheels came off.
Leach trapped Ajinkya Rahane lbw with a skidding delivery and followed it by dismissing Rohit Sharma, who top-scored for the hosts with a fluent 66, in the same fashion.
Noticing the sharp turn on offer, Root brought himself in and removed the dangerous Rishabh Pant for one with his first delivery.
India’s tail did not wag and they wilted in 53.2 overs as 20 wickets fell in the first four sessions of the pink-ball contest.