England all out for 81, India need 49 to win 3rd Test

Ahmedabad, Feb 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) Two Indian slow bowlers on Thursday bagged all 10 wickets to spin out England for a mere 81 runs in their second innings on a dusty pitch, and now Virat Kohli's team need 49 runs to win the third Test here. Left-armer Axar Patel captured five wickets to complete a match haul of 11.

Off-spinners R. Ashwin bagged four and Washington Sundar one on the second day of the five-day match, which could well finish on Thursday itself.

England batsmen were completely exposed against spin and only three of them entered double-digit scores, with Ben Stokes being the top scorer with 25 (34 balls, 3x4s).

Earlier in the day, India took a slender 33-run first-innings as they were bowled for 145 in 53.2 overs in the first session. England captain Joe Root, at best a part-time spinner, took a staggering career-best figures of five wickets for eight runs -- his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket -- to hasten India's demise.

Left-arm spinner Jack Leach bagged four wickets for 54, as India slumped from 98 for two to be all out for 145.

Only four Indian batsmen reached the double figures in their first innings, with Rohit Sharma being the highest scorer with 66 off 96 balls.

Brief scores: England: 112 all out in 48.4 overs (Zak Crawley 53, Joe Root 17; Axar Patel 6/38, R Ashwin 3/6) and 81 in 30.4 overs (Ben Stokes 25, Joe Root 19, Ollie Pope 12, Axar Patel 5/32, R. Ashwin 4/48, Washington Sundar 1/1) India: 145 in 53.2 (Rohit Sharma 66, Virat Kohli 27, R. Ashwin 17, Joe Root 5/8, Jack Leach 4/54)

Source: IANS