India vs England 3rd Test: Team India, pink ball and 5/8

England captain Joe Root celebrates after picking up a wicket against India in the third Test at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (Source: Twitter)

Team India crumbled for the second consecutive time when faced with the pink ball in Test match cricket. After the infamous 36 all out in Adelaide against Australia in December 2020, Virat Kohli’s side have succumbed at home to be bundled out for 145 at the newly-inaugurated Narendra Modi Stadium. 

In two innings against the pink ball, India have now managed to tally 181 for the loss of 19 wickets with one batsman – Mohammed Shami – out injured. Apart from the pink ball, there was another thing in common in the two innings in Adelaide and Ahmedabad – the figures of 5/8 with ball. 

At Ahmedabad, India were bundled out by part-time off-spinner and England captain Joe Root, who managed to pick up 5/8 with the ball in 6.2 overs while Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood managed to pick up 5/8 in five overs as India were rolled over for just 36. 

Root’s bowling figures were the cheapest five-wicket haul picked up by an English bowler since 1924 and also the best bowling figures by an England captain since Bob Willis claimed 5/35 against New Zealand in 1983.  

Root’s display is also fourth best bowling effort by an England captain after Gubby Allen (7/80 in 1936), Arthur Gilligan (6/7 in 1924) and Bob Willis (6/101 in 1982).  

India collapsed from 98/2 in the first innings in Ahmedabad to 145 all out after bundling out England for 112. In Adelaide, Kohli’s team were undone by pace of Hazlewood, who proved to be unplayable even before lights could take full effect at Adelaide Oval. 

While in Ahmedabad, it was spin which has proven to be India’s undoing. The Indian top-order was undone by left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who managed to scalp the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli with Root – England's second spinner in this game – came on and mopped up the tail starting with wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant.