England vs India, 4th Test: Ali floats, India sink

Southampton: Indian batting once again wilted miserably under trying circumstances as a relentless England recorded a comfortable 60-run victory in the fourth Test to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

Chasing a tricky target of 245, India were bowled out for 184 on the fourth day on a pitch where survival wasn’t a problem but run-scoring definitely was.

India have never chased a target of 200 plus outside the sub-continent in the past three decades and the script didn’t change this time round. What will hurt Virat Kohli and his men most is the fact that they were beaten by one of the weakest teams in recent times.

An ageing bowling attack of Jimmy Anderson-Stuart Broad along with off-spinner in Moeen Ali (5/63 and 4/71) tormented the Indians just like they did during the 2014 series. Under Ravi Shastri’s coaching, India have now lost Test series in all those countries, which are considered to be tough places for touring teams.

While the Indian coach has repatedly stressed about being a good travelling side, save Trent Bridge Test, there hasn’t been indications enough to show that Kohli's team is ready to beat the best when conditions are alien.

Under Shastri-Kohli duo, India have lost in Australia (where M.S. Dhoni captained in two Tests), in South Africa and now in England. The inconsequential final Test will be played at the Oval from September 7. It was never an easy chase but what baffled all and sundry was the irresponsible batting by the middle and lower order, who gave up without a semblance of fight after a 101-run fourth wicket stand between skipper Virat Kohli (58, 130 balls) and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (51, 159 balls).     

Scorecard
England (1st Innings): 246
India (1st Innings): 273
England (2nd Innings): A. Cook c Rahul b Bumrah 12, K. Jennings lbw b Shami 36, M. Ali c Rahul b Sharma 9, J. Root run out (Shami) 48, J. Bairstow b Shami 0, B. Stokes c Rahane b Ashwin 30, J. Buttler lbw b Sharma 69, S. Curran run out (Sharma/Pant) 46, A. Rashid c Pant b Shami 11, S. Broad c Pant b Shami 0, J. Anderson (not out) 1. Extras: (b7, lb2) 9. Total: (in 96.1 overs) 271.
FoW: 1-24, 2-33, 3-92, 4-92, 5-122, 6-178, 7-233, 8-260, 9-260.
Bowling: Ashwin 37.1-7-84-1, Bumrah 19-3-51-1, Sharma 15-4-36-2, Shami 16-0-57-4, Pandya 9-0-34-0.
India (2nd Innings): S. Dhawan c Stokes b Anderson 17, KL Rahul b Broad 0, C. Pujara lbw b Anderson 5, Virat Kohli c Cook b Moeen 58, A. Rahane lbw b Moeen 51, H. Pandya c Root b Stokes 0, R. Pant c Cook b Moeen 18, R. Ashwin lbw b Curran 25, I. Sharma lbw b Stokes 0, M. Shami c Anderson b Moeen 8, Jasprit Bumrah (not out) 0. Extras: (lb1, w1) 2. Total: (in 69.4 overs) 184
FoW: 1-4, 2-17, 3-22, 4-123, 5-127, 6-150, 7-153, 8-154, 9-163.
Bowling: Anderson 11-2-33-2, Broad 10-2-23-1, Ali 26-3-71-4, Stokes 12-3-34-2, Curran 3.4-2-1-1, Rashid 7-3-21-0.