LEEDS, August 28 : India, who had entered fourth day with hopes of a fightback, succumbed to the pace of England’s Ollie Robinson as they folded for 278 in the first session to lose the third Test by an innings and 76 runs here at Headingley on Saturday.
Robinson took 5/65, his best haul in Test cricket which triggered an Indian collapse in the second innings while Craig Overton took three wickets and James Anderson had a wicket to his name. With this win, England have levelled the five-match series at 1-1.
Resuming from 215/2, India collapsed in a heap and lost their last eight wickets for 63 runs to be bowled out for 278 before lunch on fourth day of the Test. The last seven wickets fell for 41 runs in 54 minutes.
At the start, India played out three maiden overs with the new ball. They were given an early jolt when Cheteshwar Pujara shouldered arms and planted his front pad to offer no shot to Ollie Robinson. But the ball nipped in to hit the front pad. England took the review and got the decision overturned, ending Pujara’s stay at his overnight score of 91.
Virat Kohli had some nervous moments against James Anderson, including a caught behind decision overturned after Ajinkya Rahane convinced him to do so. The Indian captain got two boundaries off Robinson to reach his first half-century of the series. But the pacer had the last laugh as Kohli (55) tried to defend, only for the edge to go high to the first slip.
In the next over, Rahane (10) nicked behind on fifth stump line to keeper Jos Buttler off Anderson. Rishabh Pant’s stay at the crease lasted just seven balls, prodding away from the body and edging to third slip off Robinson for just one.
Mohammed Shami was able to overturn a lbw call off Robinson. But Shami was bowled through the gate after Moeen Ali got one to spin in from outside off. Robinson finally got his second five-wicket haul of the series as Ishant Sharma nicked behind to Buttler.
Ravindra Jadeja scored some boundaries, offering some resistance. But the left-hander’s stay was cut short at 30 as Craig Overton got one to nip away and take the edge to Buttler. Overton finished off the match by forcing Mohammed Siraj to edge to the second slip.
The fourth Test between the two teams will start at The Oval from September 2.
Brief scores: India 78 and 278 all out in 99.2 overs (C Pujara 91, R Sharma 61, V Kohli 55, O Robinson 5/65, C Overton 3/47) vs England 432.
IANS
