India bounced back to winning ways against England, sealing a 106-run victory on Day 4 of the second Test match in Vizag, on Monday. The win saw the hosts level the series 1-1 as the visitors wrapped up for 292 in their 399-run chase.
England went with their usual Bazball approach on Day 4, but failed to overcome the immense pressure applied by the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin. Ben Stokes’ dismissal proved to be a key turning point and the England captain candidly felt that laziness led to his departure. In the 53rd over, Ben Foakes received a floated delivery from Ashwin, around the wicket and it was full on middle and leg. Foakes went forward to defend it away but inside-edged it onto the pads, and it went to square leg.
It was a tight moment and England decided to go for a single. Foakes was a little bit late, and Stokes was also very casual and was jogging for the single. Shreyas Iyer sensed that and fired in a throw at the batting end, and hit the stumps for a sensational dismissal. The replays confirmed that Stokes didn’t have any part of his bat inside the crease when the throw hit the stumps. Stokes departed for 11 off 29 balls, with England tattering at 220/7.
Commenting on his run out, Stokes said, “I was trying to describe it in the dressing room, it was like one of those dreams where you’re trying to run faster but you can’t.”
“I knew I had to go faster but for some reason, I just couldn’t, it was a really bizarre couple of seconds. You’d think by now at 32 I’d learn not to do that, it’s not the first time I’ve been run out doing something stupid. I always seem to do something that’s a talking point, good or bad, don’t I.”
Day 4 once again saw Bumrah come out on top with a three-wicket haul. Meanwhile, Ashwin also picked three dismissals. The veteran had removed Ben Duckett (28) in the final session of Day 3, and then followed it up with the crucial wickets of Ollie Pope (23) and Joe Root (16). Meanwhile, the lethal Bumrah removed Jonny Bairstow (26), Ben Foakes (36) and then got the final wicket, dismissing Tom Hartley (36).
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