Robinson blows away India as England win by innings and 76 runs
Leeds, Aug 28: Pacer Ollie Robinson engineered a middle-order collapse with the second new ball as England completed a facile innings and 76 run victory against India on the fourth day of the third Test, here on Saturday.
All the good work on Friday when India reached 215 for two at stumps was completely undone as Robinson (5/26) and James Anderson (1/26) hit the right lengths and got movement off-the pitch to wrap up the Indian innings in a jiffy.
It was a match that England won by executing their strategies to perfection with an idea of opposition's soft underbellies.
It was Robinson's second five-for in the series and the tall seamer after a difficult initiation to Test cricket due to off-field controversies is proving to be an asset for this team.
Robinson had served an unconditional apology after his racist tweets surfaced on the day of his Test debut against New Zealand in June.
India had lost the match on the first day itself when they were bowled out for 78 as it meant that they were always playing a catching up game in this Test match.
A huge first innings lead of 354 taken by England only increased the worry with three days of batting needed to save the game.
It was an improbable task to bat out three days in conditions which can change rapidly to make batting difficult. Playing out time isn't a virtue that many in this team, save likes of Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara, possess.
The middle-order which looked solid yesterday was completely rattled on penultimate morning under bright sunshine as most of the batsmen didn't know where there off-stump was which was pretty baffling if one takes the third day's performance into consideration.
India lost eight wickets for addition of only 63 runs and the memories of a morning collapse in Adelaide once again became fresh as good balls found their way either into the gloves or hands of slip fielders.
It started with Cheteshwar Pujara (91) misjudging the length of Robinson's in-cutter which he perhaps thought would fly over the stumps as he decided not to offer a shot.
A good review taken by Joe Root saw India number three's back but there was still hope for a fight as skipper Virat Kohli clipped Anderson for two boundaries en route his first fifty of the series.
However unlike third evening, the Indian skipper again looked circumspect as he played and missed a few and survived a caught behind chance.
But Robinson then decisively tilted the game with a nicely pitched up delivery that was slightly angled in and Kohli jabbed at it and the result was the fifth consecutive time in this series that he was gobbled up either by wicketkeeper or the slip cordon.
Saturday was slip's turn where his opposite number Joe Root was standing.
Ajinkya Rahane (10) got a couple of boundaries but it was another similar manner of dismissal for the Test vice-captain as Anderson got one to straighten from length which took the outside edge into keeper Buttler's gloves.
Rishabh Pant (1), who is no longer allowed to stand good three feet out of his crease, again played in a manner which only he knows -- giving pacers the charge down the track without any tangible results.
He lasted mere seven balls as he pushed at a Robinson delivery without any footwork, a replica of his first innings dismissal as Craig Overton at third slip took a regulation catch.
From 215 for 2, it was 239 for six and then it was a matter of formality. Ravindra Jadeja (30) added some more runs in Test kitty before Craig Overton (3/47) ended India's nightmare.
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Allahabad HC orders probe into 'reinstatement' of teacher in UP's Barabanki
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
