By Kuldeep Yadav’s outstanding performance saw him become just the third left-arm wrist spinner to reach 50 Test wickets, achieving this milestone during his fourth five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket. His brilliant spell in the post-lunch session of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala turned the game in India’s favor, as England collapsed from 175/3 to 183/8 in a mere 37 deliveries.
After the lunch break, Zak Crawley resumed his innings smoothly and appeared poised for a century before falling victim to Kuldeep’s skillful bowling. Kuldeep’s strategic variation in pace and length, complemented by the occasional googly, culminated in a sharply spinning leg break that deceived Crawley, beating him on the drive and dismissing him for 79. Despite a potential catch at short leg, which was not upheld after a review, India remained in control.
The pitch, which had initially favored seamers, began to assist spinners as the day progressed. Kuldeep adeptly utilized the turn on offer, while Ravindra Jadeja utilized the skid and bounce to trouble the English batsmen. Jadeja claimed a crucial wicket when he trapped Joe Root LBW, further tilting the game in India’s favor. Jonny Bairstow attempted to counterattack but eventually fell to a Kuldeep googly, while Ben Stokes struggled and was eventually dismissed LBW.
Ravichandran Ashwin, playing his 100th Test, initially went wicketless but returned to the attack to dismiss Tom Hartley and Mark Wood in quick succession. Despite a resilient innings from Ben Foakes, England found themselves in a precarious position with only the last two batsmen remaining. This collapse from a position of strength has been a recurring theme for the tourists throughout the series.
Brief scores: England 194/8 (Zak Crawley 79; Kuldeep Yadav 5-72, Ravichandran Ashwin 2-39) vs India
