Headingley [UK], Aug 28: With the score reading 215/2 at the start of the fourth morning, India would have hoped to continue the remarkable comeback they had started scripting on the third day of the third Test at Leeds on Friday. But it wasn’t to be as the England bowlers came out all guns blazing and wrapped the game up in the opening session itself to register an innings and 76-run win and thereby level the five-match series 1-1 with two games to go.
The Indian innings folded up for 278 as Ollie Robinson (5/65) was on fire from the word go on Saturday. Craig Overton also pitched in with figures of 3/47 and James Anderson picked one to make it 400 wickets on home soil.
But the star of the show was Robinson as he put the hosts off to just the start they would have dreamt of as he trapped Pujara in front of wickets. It was a complete misjudgement from the Indian batsman as Robinson went very full and Pujara assumed it’s going to go away from him. England took a smart review after a huge appeal and Pujara (91) was sent back packing to the pavilion.
Notably, this was for the sixth time in his career, Pujara was dismissed without adding to his overnight score — the most for India surpassing Rahul Dravid, who had five such dismissals.
All hopes were now pinned on skipper Virat Kohli as he worked his way towards a fifty. But just when one thought he would build it up into a match-winning knock, he edged one to the slip cordon. Robinson was the bowler again for England and Joe Root made no mistakes as Kohli walked back after making 55.
This started the beginning of the end for the visitors as Andreson joined the party to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane (10). And with Rishabh Pant (1) once again failing to rise to the challenge against the new Dukes ball, it was all about waiting for the inevitable.
Ravindra Jadeja tried his best to delay the inevitable, but he too had to walk back after scoring a quick 25-ball 30 as the Indian tail failed to wag.
Brief Scores: India 78 and 278 (Pujara 91; Robinson 5/65); England 432. (Agencies)
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