The third Test match between India and England at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad has become a nightmare for batsmen. The second day of the Day-Night Test saw India lose seven wickets for 46 runs in the first session but manged to score 145 runs in 53.2 overs. Later, England were bundled out for 81, with Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin sharing nine-wickets. India need 49 runs to win the match. At 7 pm India scored 11 runs without the loss of any wicket.
Axar gave India the perfect start, getting Zak Crawley with his first delivery in England's second innings. He also dismissed Jonny Bairstow (0) in the third ball of the over to leave England reeling at 0/2. Eventually, Axar picked his first 10-match haul as Ashwin raced to 400 Test wickets. Washington Sundar also picked a wicket.
England needed a response after being down to 19/3 and they got some resistance in the form of Joe Root and Ben Stokes. Root was watchful and defended well as Stokes counter attacked R Ashwin. The duo added 31 runs for the fourth wicket. However, Stokes (25) was dismissed by Ashwin after the ball spun heavily and struck the pads.
Ashwin has become the second-fastest to 400 career Test wickets. The premier spinner has achieved the mark in his 77th Test match. Former Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the fastest to 400 wickets (72 Tests). Ash surpassed Richard Hadlee and Dale Steyn, who had taken 80 Tests each for the milestone.
Axar was superb in the first innings, taking six wickets for 38 runs. The left-arm spinner continued his magic in the second innings after claiming another five scalps. Axar got the dangerous Root (19) with a ball that stayed straight and didn't spin. In the previous Test, Axar had claimed seven wickets as well. He now has 18 wickets across four innings.
Post their show in the third innings, Indian spinners have delivered the most successful performance in a D/N Test. Overall, they picked 28 wickets in this Test, eclipsing the previous record held by Pakistan spinners against Sri Lanka in 2017/18.
