India lead England 2-1 as the teams head into the fourth and final test match which gets underway at Ahmedabad on Thursday.
3rd Test Wrap
The third test was also staged at Ahmedabad, a pink ball day / nighter which was concluded in just 2 days with India coming out on top by 10 wickets.
The pitch for the third test was the centre of much discussion from the off with England making just 112 (Crawley 53) and Axar Patel too 6 wickets. In reply India managed just 145 with Rohit Sharma top scoring with 66. Joe Root returned figures of 5/8 pipping my selection Jack Leach 4/54 in the top England 1st innings bowler market.
England made just 81 in their second innings with Axar Patel taking 5 sticks and Ashwin 4. That left India enough time to take a 2-1 series lead without losing a wicket (49/0).
Earlier In The Series
The first two matches of the series were staged in Chennai. England won the first by 227 runs with a double ton from Joe Root in the first innings laying the platform for victory. India hit back to square the series with a 317 run victory with Ravi Ashwin taking 8 wickets and scoring a ton with the bat and Rohit Sharma hit form with a first innings knock of 161.
Series Top Run Scorers
Joe Root 333 (6 innings)
Rohit Sharma 296 (6 innings)
Ravi Aswin 176 (5 innings)
Virat Kohli 172 (5 innings)
Rishabh Pant 169 (5 innings)
Series Top Wicket Takers
Ravi Ashwin 24 (3 matches)
Axar Patel 18 (2 matches)
Jack Leach 16 (3 matches)
Moeen Ali 8 (1 match)
The Betting, 4th Test Match Result
India 21/50
Draw 11/2
England 18/5
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict:
England's last 4 innings have delivered totals of 134, 164, 112 and 81 and since the conclusion of the first test the Indian spinners have had it all their own way.
The visitors will have a much better idea of what to expect from the Ahmedabad conditions but although we revert back to day time tests, Joe Root and co will need to find a way to handle the spin.
On the betting front Rohit Sharma obliged for us as top 1st innings bat in the third test and we were very unlucky that Jack Leach didn't land as England top 1st innings bowler.
For the fourth test I go with Axar Patel to be top Indian bowler in the first innings. It looks a coin toss between Patel and Ashwin and Patel is a slightly bigger price.
England will have to dig in and skipper Joe Root gets the vote to justify the favourites tag to top score for the visitors in their first knock. Root had an amazing tour of Sri Lanka and has a double ton in this series. A captains knock beckons before a well deserved break.
Bets: Top India Bowler 1st Innings Axar Patel at 15/8
Top England Run Scorer 1st innings Joe Root at 15/8
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