England thrashed India by an innings and 76 runs to win the third Test at Headingley yesterday with more than a day to spare.
Victory saw England level the five-match series at 1-1 after India’s 151-run win in the second Test at Lord’s.
India, 215-2 overnight in their second innings, collapsed against the new ball, losing eight wickets for 63 runs in 19.3 overs yesterday, with Ollie Robinson taking 5-65.
Photo: AP
India’s 278 all out was 200 runs more than their woeful first innings of 78 — made after captain Virat Kohli won the toss — which saw England great James Anderson rip through the top order with 3-6.
England took the new ball at the start of play yesterday.
From the moment Cheteshwar Pujara was LBW playing no shot to Robinson without adding to his overnight 91, England were in complete command, with Kohli falling soon afterward for 55 — his first half century of the series.
However, India will take some heart from a return to form for Pujara.
Rohit Sharma on Friday said that Pujara’s quality was “always there” after the two batsmen had frustrated England on Day 3.
Pujara, who played at Headingley for Yorkshire, has scored 18 hundreds in his previous 88 Tests, but he has not reached three figures at this level since a superb 193 against Australia in Sydney in January 2019.
“This innings of ours was never about survival,” Rohit said. “We had an intent to score runs and Pujara really showed that... Anything loose he was ready to pounce on it.”
“Pujara, we have seen over the years, is a very disciplined batsman,” Rohit said. “Of late, the runs haven’t come, but that doesn’t mean the quality of Pujara has gone missing. The quality is always there.”
“The way he batted shows the character of an individual and shows the mindset of an individual, but the team’s job is not done yet,” he said. “We’ve got a crucial couple of days coming. Hopefully, he can still put his head down and keep batting like he does.”
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