Mumbai: 235 off 340 balls, 25 fours and 1 six, Wankhede witnessed a superman at the peak of his powers, a man who is scaling new heights in world cricket and became the first Indian to score three double hundreds in a year, a feat that only four, including Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Brendon McCullum have achieved before him. Virat Kohli showed to the world as he had done on numerous occasions before this that old fashioned orthodox cricketing shots are enough to be successful in all three forms of the game.
England again missed its opportunities, even if they would have conceded a lead of 100 runs, they would have been at least a 82 ahead and with four wickets remaining had some chance in the match, but by the time Kohli departed as the 9th wicket after scoring 235, it was too late.
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Jayant Yadav added to England’s frustration. He never allowed an opening that England required in the first hour of the day’s play. In 34 overs on the fourth morning, there wasn't a single breakthrough. Yadav in fact became the first Indian batsman to score a century at No. 9. When India were finally all out after lunch, they had pulled ahead by 231 runs and when England team started batting it looked like it was a completely different pitch altogether. Suddenly there was seam, there was bounce and ball began turning miles.
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Hadn’t it been for Joe Root it would have been much worse for the England team and they would never have reduced the deficit to just 49 runs at stumps on Day 4. Root made 77 at just above 100 balls looking to score rather than defend against two of the world’s best spinner on a pitch that had become a rank turner. But sadly, for England by the end of Day’s play Joe Rot’s lone counterattack also came to an end.
Keaton Jennings went for a golden duck, Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jake Ball couldn’t resist for long either and it all depends on Jos Buttler and J Bairstow who is unbeaten on 50 tomorrow morning if there is any hope of England saving the Test. A wicket early and the match could well be over in the first session of the day’s play.
AT STUMPS DAY 4:
England 400 & 182/6 (47.3 overs)
India 631
England trail by 49 runs with 4 wickets remaining
Jonny Bairstow 50*