The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team finished the five-match series against England on a high with a huge innings and 64 runs win. The victory saw the side pocketing the series 4-1. After losing the first Test, the hosts made a brilliant comeback to win the rest of the matches in style. Despite top stars like Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami not part of the series, India thrashed England. Debutants like Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikall, Akash Deep impressed as the future looks bright for India.
The series win also means that India have consolidated their position on top of the WTC points table. As per the WTC points, on March 3, India were leading the table with 64.58 point percentage (five wins in eight matches). England were eighth among nine teams with 19.44 point percentage. The other teams in the top five are New Zealand (60), Australia (59.09), Bangladesh (50) and Pakistan (36.66).
After the win, India have increased their lead at the top. They now have 68.51 point percentage (six wins in 9 games). England’s point percentage has reduced to 17.5. The other teams are where they were.
Talking about the game, Ravichandran Ashwin picked a match haul of nine wickets as India defeated England by an innings and 64 runs in the fifth and final Test on Saturday. With the win, India claimed the series 4-1.
Playing his 100th Test, Ashwin made sure it would be a memorable one as he added five wickets in the second innings to his haul of four in the first essay.
England batters once again cut a sorry figure as they were bowled out for 218 and 195 in their two innings, while India slammed 477 on the same track.
Openers Rohit Sharma (103) and Shubman Gill (110) scored centuries while debutant Devdutt Padikkal (65), Yashasvi Jaiswal (57) and Sarfaraz Khan (56) scored fifties.
Perhaps, the only silver lining to England’s substandard performance was veteran seamer James Anderson’s 700th scalp this morning.
Brief Scores: England: 218 and 195 all out in 48.1overs (Joe Root 84, Jonny Bairstow 39; Ravichandran Ashwin 5/77). India: 477 all out in 124.1 overs (Subman Gill 110, Rohit Sharma 103, Devdutt Padikkal 65; Shoaib Bashir 5/173)
With PTI inputs
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