1st Test: Herculean task ahead for Virat Kohli and Co on final day

Set a record target of 420, India lose Rohit Sharma early to end Day 4 v England at 39-1 after R Ashwin claims 6-61

India were left with the Herculean task of chasing a world record 420 after England refused to declare in an unfocussed second essay, cut short by Ravichandran Ashwin’s brilliance on a sharply turning fourth day strip in the opening Test here on Monday. At stumps, India were 39-1, requiring another 381 runs to set a new record and take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. The world record is 418, chased by West Indies against Australia in 2003.

Ashwin returned excellent figures of 6-61 to snap England’s second innings at 178 after the home team conceded a massive first-innings lead of 241 runs. With Rohit Sharma (12) back in the hut, Shubman Gill (15) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12) will begin the proceedings for India on the fifth and final day. India would have been in a bigger hole had it not been for a seventh-wicket partnership of 80 runs between Washington Sundar (85) and Ashwin, who also contributed a 31 with the bat before picking his career’s 28th five-wicket haul.

Ravichandran Ashwin successfully appeals against England’s Ollie Pope yesterday

But despite the duo’s best efforts, the hosts still fell way short of the follow-on target after being bowled out for 337.  oping to give their bowlers some respite from the sweltering heat, England decided against enforcing the follow-on and batted again. Just like Ishant Sharma, Ashwin also conceded that the track was really flat and England winning the toss became crucial. “It was really flat and it was like a crucial toss for us, I would say,” said Ashwin. “...but I still thought we fought back really well through the course of the day, yesterday and even today we fought back really well. If we can have a good fifth day, we will be quite happy to win this Test match,” he added.

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R Ashwin is the first Indian spinner to take a wicket off the first ball in a Test innings

Bowling coach Lewis defends England batsmen’s approach

England bowling coach Jon Lewis on Monday defended his batsmen’s approach in the post-tea session on Day Four, saying accelerating wasn’t easy on a “tricky” Chepauk pitch. “The guys were positive in the way they played. I don’t think it is a straightforward pitch where you can be reckless to score. But, we were very comfortable with the amount of overs we wanted to bowl on Monday,” he said when asked about the decision to not declare early. “We will try to have a bite with the second new ball if possible on Tuesday. We are comfortable with where we are at in the game,” Lewis told reporters.

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