Chennai Test: Anderson leaves India on the brink as England move in for the kill
Chennai: Veteran pacer James Anderson bowled England into a winning position, scalping three wickets including two in an over, as India slumped to 144 for 6 at lunch in pursuit of 420 on the final day of the first Test here on Tuesday.
India captain Virat Kohli (45 off 51 balls, 5 fours) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2), who copped a few blows on his body and one on the helmet, were at the crease at the interval, still needing 276 for a world record victory.
Kohli was the lone hope left for India after Shubman Gill (50) had batted beautifully but was sent back by Anderson just when he looked set for a big one.
Anderson was brilliant with his three-wicket burst in seven overs, including four maidens and costing a mere 8 runs. Jack Leach (2/56) and Dom Bess (1/50) also enjoyed some success.
The 38-year-old Anderson showed why he is considered a master of reverse swing, cleaning up Gill (50) and Ajinkya Rahane (0) in the same over with deliveries that came in sharply.
On both occasions, the off-stump was sent cart-wheeling as Gill and Rahane were left clueless.
He later dismissed the dangerous Rishabh Pant (11), having him caught by skipper Joe Root at short cover after the Indian attempted a clip to the on-side resulting in a leading edge.
Left-arm spinner Leach struck the first blow of the day, getting the reliable Cheteshwar Pujara (15) with a delivery that turned and bounced. It caught the bat and flew to slips where Ben Stokes took a good catch.
Gill, who looked to be positive in the face of the massive target, hit some beautiful shots off Bess, which included stepping down the track and clouting him for a big six mid-on.
He reached his third Test fifty but could not carry on longer as Anderson got him with a beauty.
England made a mammoth 578 in the first innings and restricted India to 337 before being bowled out for 178 to leave the hosts a victory target of 420.
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BJP turning EC into tool for vote chori: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the BJP is turning the Election Commission into a "tool" for "vote chori".
Sharing a clip of his speech during a discussion on election reforms in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Gandhi said on X, "India's public is asking these 3 very important and direct questions: 1. Why was the CJI removed from the EC selection panel? 2. Why was almost complete legal immunity given to the EC before the 2024 elections? 3. Why the hurry to destroy CCTV footage within 45 days?"
"The answer is one - BJP is turning the Election Commission into a tool for vote theft," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.
In a no-holds-barred attack, Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the BJP and the Election Commission were "colluding to destroy" India's democracy and "rob people of their voice".
Participating in the discussion on election reforms, Gandhi claimed the BJP is "directing and using" the Election Commission to damage India's democracy.
Making suggestions, Gandhi called for providing machine readable voter list to all parties one month before elections, taking back the law that allows destruction of CCTV footage after 45 days, giving access to EVMs, and changing the law that allows election commissioners "to get away with whatever they want to do".
