RANCHI, India (Reuters) – India, chasing a modest 192 for a series-clinching victory, slipped to 118-3 at lunch on day four of the fourth test against England in Ranchi on Monday.
The hosts, 2-1 up in the five-match series, resumed on 40 for no loss but the English spinners struck three times in the morning session to rattle them.
Shubman Gill (18) and Ravindra Jadeja (three) will resume after the lunch break hoping to get the remaining 74 runs.
Needing 152 runs on day four with all 10 wickets intact, India skipper Rohit Sharma (55) and in-form opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (37) looked at ease on a pitch, where the odd ball kept low.
Rohit smacked James Anderson for a six over mid-on to signal his attacking intent and Jaiswal, the leading score of the series, hit spinner Shoaib Bashir for back-to-back fours.
England wasted a review trying to get Jaiswal lbw by Tom Hartley but replays confirmed an inside edge before the ball hit pad.
Joe Root broke the 84-run opening stand in his first over when Jaiswal tried to slice it and Anderson dived full length at short third man to grab the edge.
Rohit duly brought up his fifty but could not soldier on.
Hartley drew the opener out of the crease with a flighted delivery and Ben Foakes whipped off the bails to effect the stumping.
Rohit was aghast at his own indiscretion and slammed the bat on his pad on his way out.
India slumped to 100-3 after Bashir dismissed Rajat Patidar for a duck but will be confident of victory with seven wickets in hand.
The fifth and final test is scheduled in Dharamsala from Mar. 7.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Michael Perry)
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