Dharamshala, Mar 8: With a comfortable 255 runs first innings lead against England on Day 2 of the Fifth and Final Test, here on Friday, hosts India in all probability, would be eyeing a 4-1 series victory in the five Test series.
After bundling out England for 218 in their first innings on Day-1, hosts India were 473/8 in 120 overs at stumps on Day 2 of the Fifth Test at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, here.
The highlight of India's first innings batting display was the twin tons slammed by skipper Rohit Sharma and top order batter Shubman Gill.
After dashing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's scintillating 57 in 58 balls yesterday, Indian batters did well to bat the entire day and take the first innings lead beyond 250 runs.
Remind you, if the need arises, India will bat last in this match. Though at this juncture, the Dharamshala Indo-English battle appears to be totally under the home side's control, but cricket can be surprising at times.
Earlier in the day, India resumed play from overnight score of 135/1. The two overnight not out batsmen Rohit Sharma (103 off 162 balls) and Shubman Gill (110 off 150 balls) scored centuries to put the hosts in a comfortable position.
Amid pristine weather and batting friendly conditions, Indians dominated the opening session of the day, as Rohit and Gill put up 160-run stand. It was India's second consecutive hundred partnership in the series.
The two centurions were in no mood to let England make a comeback into the game, as Rohit and Gill got their hundreds three balls apart.
Captain Rohit was the first to reach the three-figure mark. He notched his second ton of the series and 12th overall with a clip-through midwicket off Tom Hartley.
In the next over, he handed the strike back to Gill, who slog-swept Shoaib Bashir to bring up his second century of the series and fourth in Tests.
Gill played the aggressor early on, while Rohit looked solid at one end. England tried the short ball ploy but it didn't work as the two players didn't let the pressure build.
But the two departed after scoring hundreds in quick succession. Their superb show was carried forward by latter batters too. Young, aggressive Sarfaraz Khan came good again. He slammed 56 in 60 balls.
Debutant Devdutt Padikkal impressed with the bat as well. He scored a fifty plus score on debut. Padikkal dealt mostly with boundaries. He scored 65 in 103 balls, with 10 boundaries and a huge six.
But young Indian wicket-keeper Dhruv Jurel could not replicate his previous Test heroics, as he fell for only 15. He was the 4th victim of English spinner Shoaib Bashir in India's first innings.
Veteran spin-twins Ravindra Jadeja (15) and Ravichandran Ashwin (0) too departed early.
However towards the end of the day, despite sincere efforts, England could not get the 9th Indian wicket. Batting sensibly and with controlled aggression, Kuldeep Yadav (27) and Jasprit Bumrah (19) both played 55 balls each and shared an unbeaten 46 runs crucial partnership.
The final Test, here is extra special for India's ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England's senior wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow. Because both the old warhorses are playing the 100th Test matches of their glorious careers.
India have already clinched the five-match Test series 3-1.
Brief Scores:
England First Innings: 218/10 in 57.4 overs.
India First Innings: 473/8 in 120 overs.
Match to Continue.
