KOLKATA: Disbelief swept through the ranks of English cricket followers on Saturday asAlastair Cook’s men stood on the brink of what would be a unforgettable victory at the Eden Gardens. That the win was not achieved on Saturday itself has a lot to do with R. Ashwin, who held firm and unbeaten on 83 at stumps on the fourth day, India's lead a paltry 32 runs, and one wicket barring England's way to a massive result in the third Test.
India were 239/9 at close, with very little hope of saving the match, with Ashwin and last manPragyan Ojha delaying the inevitable. When that happens - and I'm putting my money on well within Sunday's first session - the loss would be the first time in 12 years that India has lost successive Test matches on home soil.
It has been a remarkable turnaround for England in the series. From being one down at Ahmedabad, to pulling level at Mumbai, to emphatically dominating in Kolkata - their growing confidence was mirrored in their approach when India had marvelous beginning to the third day.
MS Dhoni’s team did not put a foot wrong in the opening two hours. They took England’s four remaining wickets quickly to confine the lead to 207 and closed out the difference rapidly through openers Virender Sehwag (49) and Gautam Gambhir (40), who added 86. But England hit back fatally after the interval, and in the span of 17 calamitous overs routed six Indian wickets.
Save for Ashwin, it was a grave batting failure for India after an almost perfect start to the innings. Sehwag played a lazy shot first ball after lunch; Gambhir ran out Cheteshwar Pujara (8), then attempted an eyesore of a drive; Sachin Tendulkar (5) was clueless against Graeme Swann; and Yuvraj Singh (11) was undone by low bounce. Skipper Dhoni (0) was out fishing outside off, and although Virat Kohli (20) hung in there like a corpse on a rope, his downfall too was derived from an uncalled drive that led to the fatal edge.
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