‘Bizarre’: Spin dominates as India thrash England in 3rd Test

India’s Axar Patel claimed an 11-wicket match haul as the hosts thrashed England by 10 wickets inside two days in the day-night third Test.

On a viciously turning track, England were shot out for 81 in the second innings, their lowest total against India, who had suffered their own first-innings collapse on a chaotic day at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Chasing 49 for victory in the spin-dominated, low-scoring contest, India overwhelmed the target without losing a wicket to go 2-1 up in the four-Test series.

The result dashed England’s hopes of making the final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) in June.

India, meanwhile, need a draw in the final Test, also in Ahmedabad from March 4, to reach the WTC final.

“The result went our way but the quality of batting wasn’t at all up to standard by both teams,” home captain Virat Kohli said. “There was a lack of application from both sides. Our bowlers were much more effective and that’s why we got the result.

“It was bizarre that out of the 30 wickets, 21 were off straight balls.”

Both teams in a spin

England had been on the back foot since being skittled out for 112 in their first innings at the world’s largest cricket stadium.

Yet Joe Root and Jack Leach shone with the ball to drag the tourists back into the contest by bowling out India for 145.

England, however, suffered a second batting collapse, all out for 81, to allow the hosts to take charge again.

They lasted 30.4 overs with all 10 batsmen falling to spin.

Rohit Sharma hit a six to see India to their meagre second innings target of 49 without losing a wicket.

It was only the second Test in India’s cricket history to end in two days. The last was their thrashing of Afghanistan on their Test debut in Bangalore in 2018 and there have been fewer than 25 in Test history.

England’s last two-day Test was when they beat West Indies at Headingly in 2000.