4th Test: India showed phenomenal character, enjoy bowling with new ball, says Ravichandran Ashwin

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin lauded the team’s character in staging a fightback on the third day of the fourth Test against England at Ranchi. With a superb performance, Ashwin picked 5-51, his 35th five-wicket haul in Tests, praising Kuldeep Yadav’s 4-22 and Dhruv Jurel’s 90, as India are 152 runs away from a series win.

Ashwin said, “We showed phenomenal character. Kuldeep was brilliant today. He is very difficult to play when he changes his paces. Dhruv Jurel’s defence was gun and he showed great composure.” With Ashwin becoming India’s leading Test wicket-taker on home soil, surpassing Anil Kumble, he was pleased with his performance and the team’s calmness.

In England’s second innings, Ashwin’s exceptional bowling removed key players, including Joe Root and Ben Foakes, completing a five-wicket haul. Ashwin expressed his enjoyment of bowling with the new ball, adapting his strategy due to the pitch conditions, and preparing for his 100th Test in the upcoming match in Dharamshala.

England’s off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who took 5-119 in India’s first innings, dedicated his performance to his late grandads who wished for him to play Test cricket. Despite a good performance, Bashir acknowledged the challenges ahead on the deteriorating pitch but remained confident in his team’s abilities and sought to continue giving his best for England.

With both teams gearing up for the final Test of the series in Dharamshala, the competition is intense as India seeks a series win and England looks to bounce back. The upcoming match promises exciting cricket action and a chance for players to showcase their skills on the field.