Don’t write off champions: Nathan Lyon on Kohli’s recent batting slump
The Australian team must be hoping to take advantage of Virat Kohli’s prolonged batting slump when the two sides clash in the five-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy
Here are The Statesman’s player ratings from the fourth Test match.
The England cricket team thrashed India by 60 runs in the fourth Test match to wrap up a series win over Virat Kohli’s side on Sunday. The match was played at the Rose Bowl stadium in Southampton.
In the fourth Test match, England made multiple comebacks to win the match. In the first innings, after getting reduced to 86 for six, Joe Root’s side made a superb comeback and scored 246 runs. Young all-rounder Sam Curran emerged as the standout player for England.
In the second innings, when India were at 142 for 2, Moeen Ali shone with the ball and bowled out Virat Kohli’s side for 273 runs. English batsmen Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Sam Curran batted well to take England to 271 runs in the third innings, gaining a lead of 245 runs.
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Chasing the target of 245 runs, India lost three early wickets. Skipper Virat Kohli and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane revived India’s hope by putting up a 100-run stand. But once the Kohli-Rahane partnership was broken, everything went downhill.
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan scored 40 (23 and 17 runs) runs both innings combined in the fourth Test match. He lost his wickets in both innings trying to push swingers by Stuart Broad and James Anderson, respectively.
Rating: 3/10
KL Rahul
KL Rahul is the biggest disappointment in the ongoing Test series. Nineteen runs both innings combined is a below per average score for an opener.
Rating: 1/10
Cheteshwar Pujara
Test specialist Chesteshwar Puajara was magnificent in the first innings. Pujara scored a majestic Test century and took India to 273 runs in first innings. However, Pujara was not able to follow up his brilliance in the second innings as he became James Anderson’s first victim.
Ratings: 8/10
Virat Kohli
Indian skipper Virat Kohli batted comfortably in both the innings. Though Virat Kohli was denied a half century in the first innings and failed to converges his second innings fifty to three-digit score, he was brilliant.
Rating:7 /10
Ajinkya Rahane
India’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was unlucky in the first innings but in the second he kept team’s hope alive with his gritty 50.
Rating: 7/10
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant was promising on his debut Test but his performance in the fourth Test was forgettable. Pandya scored a carefree 18 runs in second innings and registered a 29 balls duck in the first innings.
Rating 4/10
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya was a major disappointment for India in the fourth Test. He bagged one wicket and scored four runs combined in both innings.
Rating: 1/10
Ravichandran Ashwin
Spin wizard R Ashwin’s performance in the 2nd Test was also not up to the mark. Ashwin bagged three wickets and scored 26 runs in both the innings combined.
Rating: 3/10
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami (4/51) was India’s best bowler in the second innings. Shami was also impressive with the bowl in the first innings.
Rating: 8/10
Ishant Sharma
Though Ishant Sharma bagged only four wickets in the fourth Test match, he bowled well.
Rating: 7/10
Jasprit Bumrah
Star pacer Jaspri Bumrah also had a decent game. Bumrah picked four wickets (both innings) and hung with Pujara at the crease in first innings.
Ratings: 8/10
Alastair Cook
Another failure for England’s highest run-scorer. Alastair Cook has been out of form in the entire series. cook only managed to score 17 and 12 in this game
Rating: 3/10
Keaton Jennings
Keaton Jennings failed in first innings, his performance was decent in the second.
Rating: 4/10
Joe Root
Joe Root was impressive with his 48 runs in the second innings, however, he struggled in the first innings.
Rating: 5/10
Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow was included as a specialist batsman in the fourth Test but he had a poor game scoring just four runs in both the innings combined.
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes had a decent game, he couldn’t convert the starts (23 and 30 in first and second innings) into big runs, he created an impact with the bowl.
Rating: 7/10
Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler was exceptional in the second innings as he scored gritty 69 runs for England, his performance in the first innings was average.
Ratings: 8/10
Sam Curran
The 20-year-old Sam Curran once again entertained the spectators with his impressive batting (78 runs in first innings, 46 runs in second). Curran also bagged two wickets including that of Indian captain Virat Kohli in the first innings.
Rating: 9/10
Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid had another lack-lustre Test match. He failed to make an impact both with the ball and bat.
Rating: 3/10
Moeen Ali
English all-rounder Moeen Ali was the most dominant bowlers in the 4th Test. Ali single-handedly rattled India’s batting line-up by taking nine wickets (both innings combined).
Rating: 9.5/10
Stuart Broad
Broad was England’s most impressive pacer in the fourth Test. Broad bagged 4 wickets and shared a crucial 63-run stand with Curran in first innings.
Rating: 8/10
James Anderson
James Anderson seemed out of form in the first innings. However, he looked in a better shape in the second innings.
Rating 5/10
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