The Indian cricket team has been left red-faced after England thrashed the tourists inside three days in the fifth and final Test to win the five-match series by three to one, the first match having ended in a draw.
England bowled out Indian batsmen in rapid succession in the second innings wrapping the visitors up for just 94 in only 29.2 overs as the hosts won the final Test by an innings and 244 runs at The Oval. England had scored 486 in their first innings and did not have to come in to bat again.
After James Anderson and Stuart Broad broke through with the new ball, Chris Jordan took four of the last five wickets to kick-start the celebrations in the south London sunshine, The BBC reported.
England had earlier plundered a broken India for 101 runs in 11.3 overs to post 486 in reply to India’s first-innings 148, with Joe Root making an unbeaten 149. Their third successive victory capped an extraordinary turnaround since the hosts were beaten by 95 runs in the second Test at Lord’s to go 1-0 behind in the series.
The defeat at Lord’s had taken England’s winless streak to 10 matches, following a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia and a first home series defeat by Sri Lanka.
Since then, England have won by 266 runs in Southampton and an innings and 54 runs in Manchester before taking their dominance to even higher levels at The Oval.
India’s posted their lowest at The Oval and it is the first time they have been bowled out for fewer than 100 since 2008.
England’s skipper Alastair Cook said that it was an amazing turnaround after Lord’s, adding that India crumbled at the end but that was from the relentless pressure.
Cook also praised coach Peter Moores and assistant coach Paul Farbrace, saying that the squad has needed a kick up the backside and the coaches have been brave enough to do that.
……….ANI