India face daunting task on final day of first Test against England

Gulf Today Report

India lost opener Rohit Sharma as they began their bid to overhaul the record 420 runs on day four of their first Test against England in Chennai.

Earlier in the morning session England bundled out India for 337 runs and in the process gained a lead of 241 runs.

Leach and paceman James Anderson took two wickets each in the morning session to pack off India after the hosts started the day 257-6.

Sundar, who made his debut in the fourth Test of India's historic win in Australia last month, put on 80 runs with overnight partner Ashwin, who made 31.

England had scored a mamomth 578 runs in their first innings.

On a dominant day for spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his 28th five-wicket haul in England's second innings that ended into the final hour of play.

England managed only 178 runs in their second innings.

Skipper Joe Root top-scored with 40 off 32 deliveries. He hit 218 in the first innings of his 100th Test.

Root hit seven boundaries before being trapped lbw by paceman Jasprit Bumrah. Ollie Pope (28) and Dom Bess (25) also helped England build a big lead.

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem took two wickets and got wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler stumped for 24. Dan Lawrence (18) was Ishant Sharma's 300th Test wicket.

Scoreboard at stumps on day four of the opening Test between India and England in Chennai on Monday:

England 1st innings 578 (Root 218; Bumrah 3-84, Ashwin 3-146)

India 1st innings (overnight 257-6, Sundar 33, Ashwin 8)

R. Sharma c Buttler b Archer 6

S. Gill c Anderson b Archer 29

C. Pujara c Burns b Bess 73

V. Kohli c Pope b Bess 11

A. Rahane c Root b Bess 1

R. Pant c Leach b Bess 91

W. Sundar not out 85

R. Ashwin c Buttler b Leach 31

S. Nadeem c Stokes b Leach 0

I. Sharma c Pope b Anderson 4

J. Bumrah c Stokes b Anderson 0

Extras (b4, lb1, nb1) 6

Total (95.5 overs, all out) 337

Fall of wickets: 1-19 (R. Sharma), 2-44 (Gill), 3-71 (Kohli), 4-73 (Rahane), 5-192 (Pujara), 6-225 (Pant), 7-305 (Ashwin), 8-312 (Nadeem), 9-323 (I. Sharma), 10-337 (Bumrah)

Bowling: Anderson 16.5-5-46-2, Archer 21-3-75-2 (nb1), Stokes 6-1-16-0, Leach 24-5-105-2, Bess 26-5-76-4, Root 2-0-14-0

England 2nd innings

R. Burns c Rahane b Ashwin 0

D. Sibley c Pujara b Ashwin 16

D. Lawrence lbw b I Sharma 18

J. Root lbw b Bumrah 40

B. Stokes c Pant b Ashwin 7

O. Pope c R. Sharma b Nadeem 28

J. Buttler st Pant b Nadeem 24

D. Bess lbw b Ashwin 25

J. Archer b Ashwin 5

J. Leach not out 8

J. Anderson c and b Ashwin 0

Extras (nb7) 7

Total (46.3 overs, all out) 178

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Burns), 2-32 (Sibley), 3-58 (Lawrence), 4-71 (Stokes), 5-101 (Root), 6-130 (Pope), 7-165 (Buttler), 8-167 (Bess), 9-178 (Archer), 10-178 (Anderson)

Bowling: Ashwin 17.3-2-61-6 (nb3), Nadeem 15-2-66-2 (nb3), Sharma 7-1-24-1, Bumrah 6-0-26-1 (nb1), Sundar 1-0-1-0

India 2nd innings (target 420)

R. Sharma b Leach 12

S. Gill not out 15

C. Pujara not out 12

Total (13 overs, one wicket) 39

Fall of wicket: 1-25 (R. Sharma)

To bat: V. Kohli, A. Rahane, R. Pant, W. Sundar, R. Ashwin, J. Bumrah, I. Sharma, S. Nadeem

Bowling: Archer 3-2-13-0, Leach 6-1-21-1, Anderson 2-1-2-0, Bess 2-0-3-0