Chronicle EditorMOHALI. – A functional lower order had previously been resigned to the realm of wishful thinking for India but recent results, especially in the Test cricket series against England, suggest skipper Virat Kohli has finally acquired one.Having reduced India to 204-6 in the third Test at Mohali over the weekend, England’s hopes of forging a crucial first innings lead were hardly unrealistic.
What followed was a resolute rearguard action by the Indian tail with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav supplying more than half of the 417 runs India finally amassed at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. Ashwin enhanced his batting reputation with a defiant 72, Jadeja threatened a maiden test ton before falling 10 runs short and Jayant hit a first test fifty to give India a 134-run first innings lead which effectively took the match away from England.
It was the first time that India’s number seven, eight and nine batsmen had posted 50-plus scores in a match as the hosts moved 2-0 ahead in the five-Test series.
Kohli knows how frustrating it is to be thwarted by the tailenders and is obviously happy that the tables have been turned. – Reuters.
Online Reporter