Fifth Test: Ashwin takes five as India beat England to clinch series 4-1

India bowlers, led by R Ashwin playing his 100th Test, effected a collapse on the third day of the fifth and final Test against England in Dharamsala to help host win the match by innings and 64 runs and thereby clinch the 5-Test series by 4-1.

The win helped India move to the top in the ICC World Test Championship points table with New Zealand slipping to second also due to their loss to Australia in the first Test. India have a win point percentage of 68.51 in nine Tests so far.

India had almost bagged the fifth Test on Day 1 itself as Kuldeep Yadav picked 5/72 to help shoot England out for 218, a below-par score on a placid surface. The Ben Stokes-led team were cruising at 137/2 before the collapse happened.

India then scaled the England total losing just one wicket. Yashasvi Jaiswal (712 runs in the series @89 in 9 innings) scored 57 while Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill hit 103 and 110. Debutant Devdutt Padikkal made 65 and Sarfaraz Khan 56 to help India get to 477.

India then took all 10 English second innings wickets on Day 3 as the visiting batsmen just couldn’t hold on against Ashwin (26 wickets in the series @24.8 in 10 innings), who took 5/77.

Only Joe Root offered some resistance, scoring 84 off 128 balls. The Test saw some milestones. Besides Ashwin playing his 100th Test, it also saw James Anderson taking his 700th Test wicket. Jonny Bairstow also played his 100th Test whereas off-spinner Shoaib Bashir became the first English bowler to pick two back-to-back five wicket hauls before turning 21. 

This is India’s third consecutive series win against England at home.

Cricket, India, England, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Dharamsala, Joe Root, IndvsEng