ENGLAND plunged to a crushing, embarrassing defeat to India by 434 runs in the Third Test.
Ben Stokes’ team was routed for just 122 all out in their second innings and are now 2-1 behind in the series with two matches to play.
GettyIndia swept through the England batting line-up to win by 434 runs[/caption]
Ben Stokes was trapped LBW for 15Getty
The innings lasted just 39.4 overs and the match was done with a day to spare.
England will not abandon their aggressive Bazball style but it is clear the strategy needs tweaking – especially against the best teams.
Be aggressive, for sure, but show some good sense and game awareness.
It is almost unbelievable to think that England were in a comfortable position after two days of the match thanks to Ben Duckett’s blistering century.
But, prompted by Joe Root’s dismissal to a reverse scoop, they collapsed in their first innings and were powerless to stop India cruising to a huge lead.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal plundered his second double-century in successive matches and debutant Sarfaraz Ahmed made his second half-century of the match.
England were asked to score a monumental 557 to win and the task proved to be even more improbable than it might have seemed.
England surrendered in a flurry of poor shots and against a prime attack bowling superbly in the conditions.
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The first wicket was handed on a plate when Duckett called for an optimistic single and was sent back by Zak Crawley.
Mohammed Siraj gathered at mid-wicket and fired in a return to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jarel, who ran to the stumps and removed the bails.
Crawley was given out lbw soon afterwards and DRS had the ball clipping the top of leg stump.
He appeared to give umpire Kumar Dharmasena a piece of his mind as he trudged off.
Ollie Pope was caught at slip and then the engine room of England’s batting order – Jonny Bairstow, Root and Stokes – were all lbw aiming sweep shots.
Bairstow scored nought and four in the match and might be under threat for his place from Dan Lawrence, who was summoned as the reserve batsman after Harry Brook pulled out of the tour for personal reasons.
Root is also struggling desperately and has 77 runs in six innings in the series.
The lower-order did not delay India for long with Rehan Ahmed holing out at long-on, Ben Foakes feathering a catch behind and Tom Hartley dragging.
Mark Wood slogged a few boundaries but England appeared in no mood to stretch the game into a fifth day.
Wood was last man out, caught at long-off.
GettyYashasvi Jaiswal scored an incredible 214 off 236 for his second double-century in back-to-back matches[/caption]
ReutersBen Duckett was run out as England lost cheap wickets early on in the mammoth chase[/caption]
ReutersMark Wood was the last man out after his quickfire 33[/caption]
APIndia lead the series 2-1[/caption]