Mohali Test: India dish out sound thrashing to take 2-0 lead over England

MOHALI: Before this game, the prevailing thought in the England team was to “win the toss, bat first and win a Test in India”. This perception also made Alastair Cook - and several British tabloids -belittle India's massive victory in the second Test in Vizag a few days back.

Virat Kohli and Co. turned this perception on its head as they handed out a sound eight-wicket thrashing to the visitors on Tuesday. India now lead the five-match Test series 2-0. In his moment of victory on Tuesday, Kohli did not forget that there was huge cheer from English fans and players in the dressing room when Cook won the toss on Day One and elected to bat. This, in fact, acted as added motivation - Kohli, the street fighter that he is, was determined to prove the opposition wrong from them on.

“I was surprised by the cheer that went up (from the English camp). There were still five days of the game to be played. We were motivated to show that ours is a team which can take the equation (of toss) out of the game and win,” Kohli said.

The game had totally tilted India's way on Day Three itself, and though Jonny Bairstow had urged his teammates to show some fight after the end of the third day's play, it was not to be. Barring the challenge from Haseeb Hameed (59 not out off 156b; 6x4, 1x6), who played with a finger injury and will be returning to England to have hand surgery, and to some extent Chris Woakes (30 off 47; 3x4), it was an easy day for India to negotiate.

The day's second over saw nightwatchman Gareth Batty fall victim to a typical Ravindra Jadeja dismissal -Batty lunged his front foot forward to an arm ball and was wrapped on the front pad. Jadeja, who mostly aims to hit the batsman's pads, got the LBW decision in his favour.

The other overnight batsman, Joe Root (78 off 179b; 6x4) and Jos Buttler showed some intent and tried to erase India's lead quickly. Buttler, however, fell to his own impetuousness. He hit a six off Jadeja and tried to mete out the same treatment to Jayant Yadav but miscued his attempted slog and was caught at deep mid-wicket.

Hameed then walked in and joined forces with Root. The duo played nearly 20 overs and added 45 runs; that's when it looked like the game would go into the final day. Jadeja had different plans, though. He got one to turn sharply as Root pushed at a length ball. The resulting thick edge flew to Rahane at slip, who snaffled the catch with his outstretched left hand. Woakes and Hameed delayed the inevitable for another 17 overs. But as soon as Kohli took the second new ball, and gave it to Mohammad Shami, things started to happen.

The target of 103 was never going to challenge the Indians. Parthiv Patel (67 not out off 54b; 11x4, 1x6) played aggressively and made sure there were no hiccups along the way.