Team India clinched a magnificent series win against England in the fourth Test in Ranchi on Monday, February 26 after being behind the eight-ball for at least a few sessions until the second day. However, the fight back with the bat led by Dhruv Jurel helped India first reduce the deficit to just 46 and then bowlers put on a show to bowl out England for just 145 as Day 3 proved to be the moving day in a number of ways, mostly for India.
Day 4 was about the Indian batters trying to get their side home. Like it has been the trend all series, England gave India a real run for their money having reduced them to 120/5 from 84/0 but Jurel for the second time in the Test match combined with Shubman Gill, who came off age, to stitch an unbeaten 72-run partnership for the home side. The five-wicket win helped India take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, with a game to go in Dharamsala.
Former India captain Virat Kohli, who pulled out of the whole series due to personal reasons was ecstatic after the win as he gave his first reaction to the spirited performance by the youngsters. "YES!!! India. Phenomenal series win by our young team. Showed grit, determination and resilience," Kohli wrote in a post on Twitter (now X).
Whether it was the debutant Akash Deep with the ball in the first innings and then Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jurel with bat or Kuldeep Yadav with the ball in the second and Jurel again with the bat and Shubman Gill, the performances by the youngsters summed up what India have been able to achieve this series in the absence of the likes of Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul.
The final Test match begins in 10 days' time and both teams will have a week to rest and recuperate before the series finale at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in the mountains.
