In a thrilling display of skill and composure, India secured a resounding five-wicket victory over England in the fourth Test, clinching their 17th consecutive series win at home in Ranchi on Monday. With this triumph, India has established an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, leaving the showdown in Dharamsala on March 7 a formality.
The defeat marked England’s first series loss since Brendon McCullum assumed the role of head coach. As the day began with India at 40 for no loss, their pursuit of the 192-run target encountered some tense moments before ultimately succeeding in the afternoon session.
The backbone of India’s successful chase was the unbroken 72-run partnership between Shubman Gill (52 not out off 124 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (39 not out off 77). This duo played a pivotal role in steering India to victory following a precarious middle-order collapse. In the morning session, Rohit Sharma’s crucial half-century (55 off 81) and the 84-run partnership with opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (37) laid a solid foundation for the successful run chase.
The accolade of the player of the match was bestowed upon Dhruv Jurel for his instrumental contribution. Reflecting on his performance, Jurel shared, “I try to play according to the situation. In the last innings, some runs were needed because we had to bat last. I thought I’ll try to score some runs as we won’t be chasing much.” Jurel also praised the tailenders, acknowledging their crucial role in the partnership that kept England at bay.
Speaking about facing the experienced James Anderson, Jurel explained, “Obviously, it was a great experience to face Anderson. I have seen him bowl on TV, and the plan was to play according to the merit of the ball.” He highlighted the strategic approach with Gill, setting small targets of 10-10 runs to build a partnership that proved instrumental in steering India towards victory and thwarting England’s aspirations for a win.
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