India continued the momentum gained from Trent Bridge and took early ascendency against England in the 4th Test in Southampton. A clinical performance by the Indian bowlers bowled out the hosts for 246 in 76.4 overs. In return, the Indian openers batted through a tricky 15 minutes ending the day at 19 for no loss. Shikhar Dhawan remained unbeaten on 3 while KL Rahul was batting on 11.
Jasprit Bumrah remained the highest wicket-taker in the first innings. He scalped 3 wickets and leaked 46 runs in 20 overs. Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin picked two wickets each while Pandya grabbed one.
Earlier today, English skipper Joe Root won the toss and opted bat first. England's opening woes continued to haunt them as Keaton Jennings was trapped plumb in front by an excellent incoming delivery from Bumrah, for a 4-ball duck in the third over of the innings.
A few overs later, Ishant Sharma sent Joe Root (4) packing which turned out to be his 250th wicket in Test cricket. Reduced to 15/2, England's hopes were pinned on former skipper Alastair Cook (17) and Jonny Bairstow (6), playing as a specialist batsman after injuring his finger.
The Indian fast bowlers continued their domination post-lunch break as they took two more wickets in the second session to reduce England to 139-6 at tea.
After resuming the innings at 57/4, all-rounder Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler tried to anchor the innings just like they did in Nottingham. But after adding 33 runs for the fifth wicket, Buttler brought his downfall, caught by Virat Kohli off Shami.
Shami struck again by trapping Stokes in front when the southpaw started to flourish with back-to-back boundaries.
After the terrible downfall of the top-order, the left-handed pair of Moeen and Sam Curran came for damage control. The duo sailed the ship to safety, playing the Indian pacers with extreme caution and restricting off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to dominate them.
They stitched a massive partnership of 81 runs before Ashwin took his first wicket and barred Moeen (40) from getting his half-century.
Amid the continuous fall of wickets, the 20-year-old Surrey batsman held the nerve and kept the fight on from one end. After the dismissal of Adil Rashid Rashid (6), Curran and Broad piled up the second-best partnership of the English innings.
Before Broad’s dismissal on 17 off Bumrah’s delivery, the duo added 63 runs for the 9th wicket.
Curran, who was inching towards his maiden ton, was dismissed by Ashwin in the 77th over and England were bowled out for 246.