England collapsed for the second time in the third Test against India when they were dismissed for 122 runs chasing a target of 552 on Sunday.
The hosts moved onto 314-4 at lunch, meaning they had a commanding lead of 440 with a day and a half’s play remaining in Rajkot as Ben Stokes’ side toiled in the field.
India were without Ravichandran Ashwin as he was dealing with a family emergency, due back on Sunday afternoon.
While that left India down to 10 players in the batting line-up, their imperious batting display and England’s struggling attack meant he was not needed, compounding the problems of their batting collapse in the first innings which gave India a head start of 126 runs.
Yashavi Jaiswal was able to return to action after retiring hurt on the third day, with Shubman Gill the first wicket to go on the fourth day, run out for 91 from Stokes’ throw to spinner Tom Hartley.
Nightwatch batter Kuldeep Yadav was out for 27 after failing to score after the resumption of play, as Joe Root caught him off an edge from spinner Rehan Ahmed.
Jaiswal and Sarfraz Khan were then able to go on the attack with the former amassing 214 runs off 236 deliveries as he carried his bat, with Khan also there with 68 from 72 before India declared on 430.
That left England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett facing huge pressure to put together a bright and durable start, but Mohammed Siraj ran out Duckett as another collapse threatened.
The chances of a heavy defeat became more pronounced just before tea as Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery into Crawley’s pads brought an lbw decision that was upheld after a failed review.
Ahead of the evening, England needed to keep their wickets with 539 runs still required.
Upon resumption, Ashwin was able to get onto the field shortly before England were left on 24-3 when Ollie Pope edged to Rohit for just three off Jadeja.
There was panic when Jonny Bairstow was caught lbw after missing a sweep to Jadeja as the score crept to 28-4.
England were then almost five down, but the impact was outside off stump while Stokes was playing a shot to Jadeja, and he survived when on four runs.
Another sweep for England proved costly, as Root attempted to attack Jadeja but he was given out lbw for just seven runs with England on 50-5 and reeling, which quickly became for six when Stokes’ own sweep cost him against Yuldeep.
Mohammed Siraj was on hand to claim the catch from Kuldeep as England lost Rehan while stuck on 50 and the challenge moved swiftly from a record-breaking win, to securing a draw, to attempting to see out the day’s play.
A brief period of respite for England ended when Jadeja struck once more to get an edge from Ben Foakes for Dhruv Jurel to catch, and Ashwin bowled Hartley to leave India a wicket from a demolition victory, when Mark Wood’s late flurry of 33 runs ended as Jadeja took his fifth wicket of the innings.
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