Dharamsala: Ravichandran Ashwin’s historic 36th five-wicket haul (5-77) in Tests propelled India to an emphatic victory on the third day of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala. The hosts secured an innings and 64-run win, sealing the series with a 4-1 margin.
Ashwin, the seasoned off-spinner, etched his name in the record books by becoming only the fourth bowler in history to achieve a fifer in his 100th Test. His performance also saw him draw level with the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan for the most wickets in a landmark Test – nine in total. England’s Joe Root, with a resilient 84 in the second innings, stood as the lone warrior as the rest of the batting lineup crumbled against Ashwin’s guile.
The pivotal moment came when Tom Hartley, supporting Root in a bid to salvage the innings, fell victim to a Jasprit Bumrah special, trapped leg-before-wicket. Subsequently, Mark Wood also succumbed to Bumrah, leaving Root with limited support. Shoaib Bashir played a defiant role for a while, but a brilliant delivery from Ravindra Jadeja sent him packing. Root, attempting to counterattack, eventually perished to long-on, capping India’s resounding triumph.
Earlier in the match, England’s hopes of a strong fightback were shattered by Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav’s brilliance. On day one, Kuldeep’s fifer (5-72) wreaked havoc on the English batting lineup, setting the stage for India’s dominance. England’s decision to bat under seamer-friendly conditions proved brave but futile, as Kuldeep exploited the pitch’s spin-friendly nature. Zak Crawley’s fluent 79 showcased that runs were possible, but England’s subsequent collapse, losing six wickets in just 37 balls, left them reeling.
In response, India’s batters capitalized on the favorable conditions, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill amassing runs at will. Rohit and Gill both secured their second centuries of the series, building a formidable partnership that demoralized the English bowlers. Despite brief moments of resistance, including fifties from Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan, England found themselves overwhelmed by India’s relentless batting onslaught.
England’s tour, marked by James Anderson’s historic 700th scalp and Ben Stokes’ memorable dismissal of Rohit Sharma, ultimately showcased their bowling vulnerabilities and a lack of clarity in their batting approach. The series concluded with India proving to be too formidable for the visitors, clinching the series with a convincing display in Dharamsala.
Brief Scores:
- England: 218 and 195 (Joe Root 84; R Ashwin 5-77)
- India: 477 (Shubman Gill 110, Rohit Sharma 103, Devdutt Padikkal 65; Shoaib Bashir 5-173)
- India wins the match by an innings and 64 runs
India wins the series 4-1.
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