London: The second Test was headed for nail-biting finish with England needing 214 runs with six wickets intact on a tricky fifth day track as India rode on Ravindra Jadeja’s brilliant counter-attack to set a competitive target of 319 here on Sunday.
It was a day when fortunes swung like a pendulum as England finished the fourth day’s play on 105 for four on a deteriorating track.
If India manage to pull of a win, it will be their first at the ‘Mecca of Cricket’ in 28 years having won here last in 1986.
England lost three wickets in a space of 14 deliveries with an addition of two runs. From a comfortable 70 for one, they slumped to 72 for four.
Ishant Sharma (2-13 in 10 overs) removed seasoned Ian Bell (1) with an incutter while skipper Alastair Cook (22) did all the hardwork before fishing oustide the off-stump to give MS Dhoni a simple catch.
Mohammed Shami (1-20) also fared much better than in the first innings, removing centurion Gary Ballance (27) with an away going delivery.
While India have their nose slightly ahead, a lot of credit should go to Jadeja for his belligerent 57-ball-68 (9x4s) that enabled India to reach 342, thereby extending their lead to a healthy 318.
Murali Vijay (95) missed a century by a whisker, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar (52, 71 balls) continued his stupendous all-round show. It was the 99-run eighth wicket stand between Jadeja and Kumar that could well turn out to be decisive in the final context of the game.
At stumps on the fourth day, youngsters Joe Root and Moeen Ali were at the crease, batting on 14 and 15, respectively.
A rough area has been created at one end with left-arm spinner Jadeja (1-32) looking dangerous for the first time with turn and bounce off the pitch while the odd ball also kept low, forcing Dhoni to stand at least 10 feet behind to a slow bowler.
It will be an uphill task for England to successfully chase down the total, which would be their second highest after having chased down 332 in an Ashes Test at the MCG back in 1928-29.
A successful chase from the home team will also be the second highest chase at this ground with West Indies having chased 344 against England in 1984 courtesy a crushing double hundred by Gordon Greenidge.
In the morning, under overcast skies with floodlights on, India started the day 145 runs ahead, needing Vijay and skipper Dhoni (19) to bat long enough to see out the second new ball that was due after 17 overs.
The pace with which Jadeja and Kumar scored was what hurt England the most. They added 66 runs in the first 10 overs after lunch, with Jadeja reaching his first Test half-century in the 92nd over. (PTI)
SCORECARD
ndia 1st inn: 295
England 1st inn: 319
India 2nd inn: (o’night 169/4)
M Vijay c Prior b Annderson 95
S Dhawan c Root b Stokes 31
C Pujara c Prior b Plunkett 43
V Kohli b Plunkett 0
A Rahane c Prior b Broad 5
MS Dhoni c Bell b Plunkett 19
S Binny c Cook b Ali 0
R Jadeja c Cook b Stokes 68
B Kumar c Bell b Stokes 52
M Shami c Prior b Ali 0
I Sharma not out 0
Extras: (b-19, lb-9, w-1) 29
Total: (all out; 103.1 overs) 342
FOW: 1-40, 2-118, 3-118, 4-123, 5-202, 6-203, 7-235, 8-334, 9-338
Bowling: Anderson 29-11-77-1, Broad 23-6-93-1, Stokes 18.1-2-51-3, Plunkett 22-6-65-3, Ali 11-3-28-2
England 2nd inn:
S Robson lbw b Jadeja 7
A Cook c Dhoni b Sharma 22
G Ballance c Dhoni b Shami 27
I Bell b Sharma 1
J Root batting 14
M Ali batting 15
Extras: (b-5, lb-13, w-1) 19
Total: (4 wkts; 46 overs) 105
FOW: 1-12, 2-70, 3-71, 4-72
Bowling: Kumar 8-4-10-0, Shami 7-1-20-1, Ishant 10-5-13-2, Jadeja 16-4-32-1, Vijay 4-1-11-0, Dhawan 1-0-1-0