England 194-6 at lunch on day 4, chasing record 399 to win
Visakhapatnam, Feb 5: England were 194 for six at lunch in their second innings in pursuit of a record chase of 399 on the fourth day of the second Test against India here on Monday.
Ben Stokes (0) was at the crease during the break with England still needing 205 to win.
R Ashwin dismissed Ollie Pope (23) and Joe Root (16) in the morning session to take his Test wicket tally to 499. He had removed Ben Duckett (28) in the final session on day 3.
At the stroke of lunch, Kuldeep Yadav trapped Zak Crawley (73), while Jasprit Bumrah had Jonny Bairstow plumb in the 43rd over.
England were 67 for one at stumps on day 3.
India had scored 396 and 255 in their two innings, while England were dismissed for 253 in their first essay.
Brief scores:
India 1st innings: 396; England 1st innings: 253
India 2nd innings: 255; England 2nd innings: 194 for six in 42.4 overs (Zak Crawley 73; R Ashwin 3/42).
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Shreyas Iyer wins ICC Men's Player of the Month award
Dubai (PTI): Stylish Indian batter Shreyas Iyer on Tuesday secured the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for March after playing a stellar role in India's Champions Trophy triumph.
Iyer finished as the highest run-scorer with 243 runs during the ODI event to win the honour, overcoming competition from New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and Rachin Ravindra.
"I’m truly honored to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March. This recognition is incredibly special, especially in a month where we lifted the ICC Champions Trophy — a moment I will cherish forever," Iyer said in an ICC release.
"Being able to contribute to India’s success on such a big stage is something every cricketer dreams of. I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, and support staff for their unwavering support and belief.
"A heartfelt thank you to the fans as well — your energy and encouragement keep us going every step of the way."
India thus won the award back-to-back, with Shubman Gill winning the honour for February.
Iyer helped India progress through the middle overs with his masterful stroke-play and his knack for anchoring the innings and forging crucial partnerships played a vital role in steering his side through a victorious campaign.
The 30-year-old scored 172 runs across three matches in March, averaging 57.33, with a modest strike rate of 77.47, which included some spectacular knocks.
Iyer scored 79 off 98 balls which included 4 fours and 2 sixes in a win against New Zealand in a Group A fixture of the Champions Trophy, an innings that gave India a competitive total of 250 in the first innings on a tricky pitch.
He scored 45 off 62 balls to assist in India’s victorious chase over Australia in the semi-finals and finished his tournament with a clinical 48 off 62 balls as India sealed victory over New Zealand in the summit clash.
