Nagpur: James Anderson struck thrice to give England the upper hand as India’s batting woes continued to haunt them in the crucial fourth and final Test here on Friday.
After England posted a decent 330 inn the first innings, the Indian top-oder succumbed tamely yet again as the visitors snapped up four quick wickets to leave the hosts tottering at 87/4 at close on an eventful second day which saw nine wickets fall.
Paceman James Anderson (3/24) did the bulk of the damage while Graeme Swann chipped in with a wicket as the out-of-form Indian batsmen put up another pathetic display with none of them willing to show the application and temparament to hang in there.
Virat Kohli (11) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (8) were at the crease when stumps were drawn for the day, with the hosts still trailing by 243 runs.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 199 for five, England did well to stretch their first innings total to 330 with debutant Joe Root (73), Matt Prior (57) and Swann (56) being the notable contributors.
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was the pick of the Indian bowlers with a career-best haul of 4/69 while paceman Ishant Sharma (3/49) and R Ashwin (1/66) were the other wicket-takers.
The failure of India’s famed batsmen again let the team down badly as Virender Sehwag (0), Gautam Gambhir (37), Cheteswar Pujara (26) and Sachin Tendulkar (2) could not stay for long. Tendulkar was bowled by Anderson who has now dismissed him nine days, the highest by any bowler.
With three full days left in the match, England have put themselves on course for their first series win on Indian soil in 28 years.
England struck in the very first over when Anderson broke through the tentative defense of Sehwag with an in-swinger before the hosts adjourned for tea at a nervous 32 for 1.
Gambhir, looking in good touch but for his poor judgment of a run, and Pujara looked well in control of the proceedings when they added 58 runs in 132 balls before the sudden slump when India lost both these batsmen and Sachin for just 12 runs and in 9 overs. (PTI)