1st India-England Test, Day 4: India needs 381 on final day
England removes Rohit Sharma for 12
Chennai, Feb 8 (PTI) India lost opener Rohit Sharma early while chasing a daunting 420-run target, ending day four of the first Test against England at 39 for 1 here on Monday.
Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara were in the middle on 15 and 12 respectively when stumps were drawn for the day. The hosts need another 381 runs for an improbable win on day five.
India batted for 13 overs in the final session after England were all out for 178 in the second innings.
Rohit was dismissed cheaply for the second time in the game with left-arm spinner Jack Leach getting through his defence with a beauty.
Australian great Shane Warne was among those who questioned England's tactics in the final session during which they could have declared before being bowled out.
The visitors found the going tough in their second essay after bowling out India for 337 in their first innings to take a 241-run lead.
If India manage to chase the target it will be highest ever successful run chase in Test history. The previous best is 418.
Like the Gabba Test, Washington Sundar came to India's rescue with an unbeaten 85 after the home team resumed the day at 257 for six.
England though struggled a bit as the pitch became tougher for stroke-making. Skipper Joe Root was top-scorer with his 40-run knock while Ollie Pope (28) was the next best.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who dismissed opener Rory Burns earlier in the day, snared Dominic Sibley (16), Ben Stokes (7), Dom Bess (25) and Jofra Archer (5) to complete his 28th five-wicket haul.
He also got rid of James Anderson to end the England innings.
Ishant Sharma became the sixth Indian and third pacer from the country to take 300 wickets in Tests cricket when he dismissed Dan Lawrence (18).
Brief Scores:
England: 578 and 178 in 46.3 overs (Joe Root 40, Ollie Pope 28; Ravichandran Ashwin 6/61)
India 1st innings: 337 and 39/1 in 13 overs (Shubman Gill batting 15, Cheteshwar Pujara batting 12; Jack Leach 1/21).
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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".
