RANCHI, India (AP) — India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series against England by winning the fourth test by five wickets on Monday.
Chasing 192 to win, India lost five wickets for 36 runs to slip to 120-5 but Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel put on a sixth-wicket partnership of 72 to get the hosts over the line.
It was the first test series defeat for England under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
India’s victory was set up on Sunday’s third day when England collapsed to 145 all out, as the tourists surrendered the initiative after having taken a 46-run lead from the first innings.
England had won the first test in Hyderabad by 28 runs. India responded by winning the second test in Visakhapatnam by 106 runs, and then the third test in Rajkot by 434 runs. The fifth test will be played in Dharamshala from March 7.
India climbed to second in the world test championship table with a win percentage of 64.58 in eight matches. England slipped to eighth with a win percentage of 19.44 in eight games.
“It was a great test match,” said England skipper Ben Stokes. “The scoreboard says India won by five wickets but it doesn’t credit the way things unfolded, the ebbs and flows on every single day. I can only be proud of my team. We have some inexperienced spinners but they have kept bowling. I am proud of their efforts.”
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