London: India’s fast bowlers have been sensational in the ongoing series against England, and were again expected to play the lead role in England’s second innings of the Lord’s Test on Sunday. Jasprit Bumrah (2/38), Mohammed Siraj (2/31) and Akash Deep (1/30) didn’t disappoint too much, but it was a spinner who put India in a winning position in the third Test.
It was off-spinner Washington Sundar who cast a spell on England’s leading batters, bagging 4/22 in 12.1 overs to dismiss the opposition for 192. With the teams having scored an identical 387 in their respective first innings, India will have to score 193 to take a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series.
However, England’s pacers hit back in the final period of play, reducing India to 58/4 in 17.4 overs at stumps on Day 4.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (0), Karun Nair (14), skipper Shubman Gill (6) and nightwatchman (1) were all dismissed. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 33, having survived a caught-and-bowled chance.
Washington’s Sundar spell was remarkable on two counts – three of his four victims were the most dependable and stubborn Joe Root (40), gutsy skipper Ben Stokes (33) and England’s best in this series Jamie Smith (8). As a measure of his dominance, Sundar went through the defences of his four victims to castle all of them.
Sundar’s effort is the best by an Indian spinner at Lord’s in the 21st century so far. It is also the most economical (1.8) four-for haul by a visiting spinner at the hallowed ground since 2001.
Bumrah (2) and Akash also rattled the stumps thrice on Sunday, making it a total of seven England batters to be clean bowled – a record in itself.
BRIEF SCORES
England first innings: 387
India first innings: 387
England second innings: 192 (Joe Root 40; Washington Sundar 4/22, Mohammed Siraj 2/31, Jasprit Bumrah 2/38, Nitish Reddy 1/20, Akash Deep 1/30).
India second innings: 58/4 (KL Rahul 33 batting; Brydon Carse 2/11).
Final day — India need 135 runs, England 6 wickets.
