England’s tour of India has ended in abject fashion as the tourists were hammered by an innings and 64 runs inside three days, with James Anderson’s 700th Test wicket failing to mask another batting capitulation.
Anderson became the third bowler, and first non-spinner, to reach the milestone on the third morning of the fifth Test, dismissing Kuldeep Yadav early on.
But India’s lead of 259 at the halfway stage was ominous.
While Joe Root amassed 84, Ravichandran Ashwin ran amok on his 100th Test with 5-77 as England were all out for 195 in 48.1 overs in Dharamsala – a seventh loss in their last dozen Tests.
India run out 4-1 series winners, and while England had their moments in the first four Tests, they have been outclassed inside eight sessions at the picture-perfect HPCA Stadium in the Himalayan foothills.
The writing was on the wall since England collapsed from 3-175 to 218 all out on the first day and, Root excepted, there were signs of scrambled minds from the batters on a relatively blameless pitch on Saturday.
Root was busy and Jonny Bairstow purposeful in a 56-run stand off just 50 balls.
Bairstow (39) muscled three leg-side sixes in the space of seven Ashwin deliveries, but Jasprit Bumrah – deputising for captain Rohit Sharma – shuffled his pack and was rewarded.
Kuldeep produced a three-card trick, with two googlies negotiated before a ripping delivery that spun back in and rapped Bairstow on the pad.
Root seemed unperturbed by what was unfolding at the other end and helped England beyond three figures with a gorgeous drive for four off Kuldeep, before Stokes fell to the final ball of the morning session.
Stokes’s batting returns have dwindled in this series and his dismissal for two was his fourth single-figure score in a row.
It was the 13th time the England captain has been dismissed by Ashwin in 17 Tests. No one has had more success against him.
Jasprit Bumrah of India celebrates dismissing Tom Hartley of England during day three of the fifth Test Match between India and England at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Still 156 short of making India bat again, the writing was on the wall as Root and Ben Foakes resumed after lunch.
Foakes (eight) went for an uncharacteristic slog sweep and saw his bails dislodged as Ashwin raised the ball to celebrate his five-for.
Root went to 50 with a flick for four off Bumrah, but with only Anderson left for company he went on the charge and holed out off Kuldeep to complete England’s misery 10 minutes before tea.
The day had started brightly for England as Anderson finally joined Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne in the 700 club.
The 41-year-old spent several months in the 690s but the moment came when Kuldeep hung out his bat and edged through to Foakes to depart for 30.
© AAP
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