India take series lead after thumping England by 157 runs

London, Sept 6 (AFP/APP):India beat England by 157 runs to win the fourth Test at the Oval on Monday and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The hosts, set 368 to win, were dismissed for 210 after tea on the last day as India triumphed in a match taking place just over fifty years on from their first Test — and series — win in England at the Oval in 1971.

England were relatively well-placed at 141-2 after lunch before left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah both struck twice in a spectacular collapse that saw the hosts lose four wickets for six runs in 36 balls.

Recalled paceman Umesh Yadav, who took 3-60, cleaned up the tail and ended the match when James Anderson was caught behind.

Earlier in the match, opener Rohit Sharma made 127 — after being missed twice in the slips — for his first Test hundred outside of India as the tourists piled up 466 in their second innings, having conceded a first-innings lead of 99.

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur, recalled after suffering a hamstring injury in the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, hit half-centuries in both innings and the paceman also captured the key wicket of England captain Joe Root on Monday.

India captain Virat Kohli hailed his team’s final-day exploits.
“I’m really proud of the character the team has shown, especially this morning,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s definitely among the top three bowling performances I have witnessed as India captain.”

Root credited India’s bowlers for the skilful use of reverse swing but rued his team’s inability to make their first-innings lead of 99 runs.
“They got the ball to reverse and made good use of that. It was a brilliant spell of bowling from Bumrah and that really was the turning point,” Root said.

The series concludes with the fifth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, starting on Friday.

Brief scores
India 1st Innings 191 (S Thakur 57, V Kohli 50; C Woakes 4-55, O Robinson 3-38)
England 1st innings 290 (O Pope 81, C Woakes 50; U Yadav 3-76)
India 2nd Innings 466 (R Sharma 127, C Pujara 61, S Thakur 60, R Pant 50; C Woakes 3-83)
England 2nd Innings (H Hameed 63, R Burns 50; U Yadav 3-60)

Result: India won by 157 runs
Series: India lead five-match series 2-1