News by “Sana Ullah”
DHARAMSALA: Ravichandran Ashwin starred with a five-wicket haul in his 100th Test as India thrashed England by an innings and 64 runs in the fifth match to clinch the series 4-1 on Saturday.
England’s James Anderson reached the milestone of 700 Test wickets earlier in the day, becoming only the third bowler to achieve this feat, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide in the tourists’ favor.
Off-spinner Ashwin returned figures of 5-77 to dismantle England for 195 inside three days at the picturesque Dharamsala stadium. India had posted a massive total of 477 in their innings.
Ashwin wreaked havoc on England’s top and middle order, as the tourists struggled to cope. Jonny Bairstow, playing in his 100th Test, tried to counter the spinners but was eventually dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav after a brisk 39.
Skipper Ben Stokes fell for just two runs to Ashwin, marking the 13th time he has been dismissed by the Indian spinner in Tests.
Joe Root fought hard with his 84 but received little support. His dismissal by Yadav signaled the end for England, with India sealing victory and the players exchanging handshakes.
Ashwin finished with nine wickets in the match, marking his 36th five-wicket haul in a career spanning over a decade.
Skipper Rohit Sharma’s absence due to a “stiff back” didn’t hinder India’s dominance, with deputy Jasprit Bumrah leading the bowling attack and claiming two wickets.
Earlier, Anderson dismissed Yadav to reach 700 Test wickets, joining the elite club alongside spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.
India’s victory was set up by Rohit Sharma (103) and Shubman Gill (110), who forged a formidable 171-run partnership on the second day. Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal also made valuable contributions.
Yashasvi Jaiswal remained the leading batsman in the series, scoring 712 runs, while Yadav’s five-wicket haul on day one helped India assert their dominance early in the match.
England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach, which won them the opener, faced criticism after consistent batting failures in the subsequent matches.
