IND vs ENG: India in control after Jurel, Ashwin and Kuldeep heroics

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Ranchi: In a gripping display of resilience and spin mastery, India dominated the third day of the fourth Test against England here on Sunday. Dhruv Jurel’s gritty 90 in the first innings set the tone for India’s fightback, guiding them to 307 from an overnight score of 219 for 7. England, in their second innings, crumbled against the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin (5 for 51) and Kuldeep Yadav (4 for 22), managing only 145.

Opener Zak Crawley’s defiant 60 was the lone resistance as Ashwin and Kuldeep weaved their magic, with England losing their last seven wickets for just 35 runs. Kuldeep’s spin got the crucial dismissals of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. Ashwin, with a brilliant reflex catch by Dhruv Jurel, claimed his 35th five-wicket haul and became India’s highest wicket-taker at home.

Earlier, Jurel’s mature innings, supported by Kuldeep’s determined batting, rescued India from a precarious situation in the first innings. Jurel fell short of a deserving hundred by 10 runs, dismissed by Shoaib Bashir, who completed his maiden Test five-wicket haul. The Jurel-Kuldeep partnership of 76 runs for the eighth wicket showcased India’s fighting spirit.

As India chased a target of 192, openers Rohit Sharma (24) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (16) guided the team to stumps without losing a wicket, leaving them with 152 runs to win on the final day. The match hangs in the balance, poised for an exciting finish.