R Ashwin’s 36th five-wicket haul (5-77) in Tests drove India’s clinical bowling performance on the third day of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala, catapulting the hosts to a huge victory margin of an innings and 64 runs.
After James Anderson’s landmark 700th scalp in the morning session had expedited the end of India’s innings, the onus was on England to show the stomach for a fight to sign off the tour. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t to be.
If Ashwin set up the game for India on day three, the victory was set up by Kuldeep’s chicanery (5-72) on day one. Zak Crawley (79) showed that runs were there for the taking but his dismissal also showed how brilliant Kuldeep was in the first innings. The visitors lost six wickets in just 37 balls and on a good batting surface, and that was simply unpardonable. On a sporting Dharamsala surface, India were just too hot to handle.
Ashwin gets Ben Stokes 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻!
The 13th time in Tests 🏏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/R83a3dxycF
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) March 9, 2024
