IND vs ENG, 4th Test: Off-spinner Bashir impresses with 4-wicket burst, leaves India on backfoot in Ranchi

In a dazzling display of skill, the young England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir sliced through the Indian batting line-up, claiming an impressive four-wicket haul on the second day of the fourth Test in Ranchi on Saturday. The 20-year-old, making only his second Test appearance, proved to be a formidable force as he dismissed Shubman Gill (38), Rajat Patidar (17), and Ravindra Jadeja (12) on a challenging pitch marked by uneven bounce and cracks.

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Bashir, in his marathon 31-over spell spanning two sessions, made a significant impact after the tea break by dismissing the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal (73) with a delivery that skidded through the defense of the left-hander. The relentless pressure applied by Bashir forced India into a catch-up game, leaving them struggling at 219 for seven and trailing by 134 runs.

Without the resilient partnership between Dhruv Jurel (30 not out) and Kuldeep Yadav (17), India would have struggled to surpass even the 200-run mark, as they came together with the scoreboard reading a precarious 177 for seven.

Demonstrating patience and precision, the duo refrained from committing early into their shots, opting instead to play late, a strategy that proved effective in their unbeaten 42-run alliance.

Their partnership was crucial following England's first innings conclusion at 353, despite starting the day at 302 for seven. The English total could have been more formidable had Ollie Robinson (58) refrained from attempting an audacious reverse sweep against Ravindra Jadeja.

Once again, the 22-year-old Jaiswal exhibited a confident innings, adding to his impressive tally. With a total of 618 runs at an average of 103 in this series, he appeared poised for yet another substantial contribution before falling victim to a delivery with unexpectedly low bounce.

Left-arm spinner Tom Hartley proved instrumental, securing figures of 2/47, which included the pivotal dismissal of Sarfaraz Khan (14), who endured a frustrating stint at the crease and narrowly escaped a run-out scare.

India suffered an early setback with the cheap dismissal of Rohit Sharma (2), as the seasoned campaigner James Anderson extracted a faint edge from the skipper in just the third over of the innings.

However, despite the initial setback, Jaiswal demonstrated why he's considered India's latest sensation with the bat. Overcoming some moments of anxiety, he notched up his fourth fifty-plus score in this series, further solidifying his reputation as a prolific run-scorer.

After a cautious start, India's No. 3 batsman Gill shifted gears following the lunch break, launching an assault on Anderson with two exquisite boundaries – a flick off the pads and a straight punch down the ground.

However, Bashir managed to break through for England by dismissing Gill, putting an end to the promising 82-run partnership between Gill and Jaiswal. His delivery kicked off a crack just outside the off stump, catching Gill on the pad, leading to an unsuccessful Indian review.

This dismissal seemed to trigger a collapse for India, as subsequent batters failed to dig in and display the required application at the crease.

Following a lackluster performance in Rajkot, Patidar, despite being given a lifeline, endured a nervy and tentative stay at the crease.

His innings had few bright moments, with one standout being his drive past gully off Anderson that brought up India's 100 runs.

However, it wasn't long before Bashir dismissed him with a delivery that skidded onto his pads.

Following his century in Rajkot, Jadeja maintained his position at No. 5 and launched a counter-attack against Hartley, hitting successive sixes.

Yet, Bashir once again made his mark as the cracks in the pitch played to his advantage, resulting in Jadeja looping the ball straight to short leg.

England managed to add 51 valuable runs to their overnight total, capitalizing on the Indian attack's failure to make early breakthroughs. The last five England batters contributed 241 runs after struggling at 112/5 during lunch on the opening day.

Joe Root showcased his classical batting prowess with a determined century, crafting a resilient innings that spanned a little over six hours. He remained unbeaten on 122 runs from 274 deliveries, punctuated by 10 boundaries.

Ollie Robinson, after a career-best performance, surrendered his wicket, contributing 58 runs to England's total as their first innings concluded at 353. The eighth-wicket partnership between Root and Robinson yielded a crucial 102 runs for England.

While Mohammed Siraj struggled with his line and length, conceding 2/78, debutant Akash Deep couldn't add to his tally of three wickets, finishing with figures of 3/38 from 19 overs. Ravindra Jadeja claimed all three remaining wickets to end with 4/67 from his 32.5 overs.

Robinson set the tone for the morning with an assertive start, flicking a delivery from Siraj to fine leg for a boundary on the first ball of the day.

Continuing his aggressive approach, he capitalized on every opportunity presented, particularly taking on Akash Deep with three boundaries that surpassed his previous best Test score of 42.

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However, his resilient innings came to an abrupt halt due to a peculiar shot selection. Employing a grounded reverse sweep seemed unnecessary at that juncture, especially considering the lack of significant trouble from the Indian bowlers.

Though the ball narrowly missed the edge of the bat, it brushed against Robinson's gloves before being snatched by 23-year-old Dhurv Jurel, culminating in the end of their gritty 102-run partnership with Root.

Following the dismissal, England's downfall accelerated rapidly. Bashir's aggressive swing at the second ball resulted in a skied catch at point, while Jadeja accounted for Anderson, extinguishing England's resistance.