While India's frontline bowlers struggled to contain the England batsmen in the second innings, it only needed England's part-timers to inflict most damage. Three out of India's top four were victims of Moeen and Joe Root, while the fourth was run out. Lapses of concentration were India's biggest bane in a game their batsmen needed large reserves of.
Like the last three days, England continued to dominate while India continued to play catch up. Twenty-five balls was all it took for England's bowlers to wrap up India's innings for 330, and despite the visitors falling short of the follow-on target by 39 runs,
A rapid second essay, powered by
In reply, India looked rather settled as Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan began well. India's openers haven't put on 50 in an away Test since
Cheteshwar Pujara hadn't converted any of his previous starts, and the introduction of Moeen into the attack didn't allow him one this time, his loose drive taking an edge which Chris Jordan brilliantly hung on to at first slip. Another 50-run partnership followed, this time between Dhawan and
England needed quick runs on the board after choosing not to enforce the follow-on, but Sam Robson was out early to
Gary Ballance was unfortunate as the umpire adjudged him caught at short leg to
James Anderson's short ball ploy had earlier resulted in the wickets of overnight batsmen MS Dhoni and Mohammed Shami as he finished with 5 for 53 on his 32nd birthday, his 16th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and third against India as they made short work of India's first innings. While Dhoni was out fending an Anderson short ball without adding to his overnight 50, Mohammed Shami's dismissal was a mirror image of Cheteshwar Pujara's wicket on the third day, and India could only add seven more runs to their total.
India's bowlers came out hoping they didn't let England get away with too many, they found little help from either the surface or the bowlers. After Robson's wicket, Bhuvneshwar was caned for 59 from his 10 overs while Shami bowled just four, sounding alarms over his place in the fourth Test.