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IND VS ENG: Kevin Pietersen predicted that India will need to win by 50 runs
India may be seven down on Sunday, but they still need 50 runs to win, according to the former England captain.
Published: Jan 28, 2024, 01:09 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 28, 2024, 01:12 PM (IST)
IND VS ENG: Kevin Pietersen prophesied during the first Test match between India and England in Hyderabad, not for the first time. However, this prognosis has a possibility of coming true, unlike his prior one on England’s first innings score—at least, that’s what England supporters would like to think. India may be seven down on Sunday, but they still need 50 runs to win, according to the former England captain.
It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon! By far the best session for England. This Test is still alive if England wins this session. And I hope that tomorrow afternoon, with India needing to win by 50 runs and down by 7 wickets, we are here for the sake of Test cricket! On a Sunday, please, a grandstand ending!” Pietersen posted on X, the former Twitter platform, following Day 3’s morning session, which was also England’s first victory of the Test.
After limiting the lead to 190 runs with just three Indian wickets lost for 15 runs, England reached lunch with just one wicket lost and a score higher than 100.
The likelihood of Pietersen’s prediction coming true increased two sessions later. Joe Root referred to Ollie Pope’s undefeated 148 as “one of the best knocks” he had ever witnessed. England led India by 126 runs at stumps with a score of 316 for six.
“If you’re a lover of Test cricket, no matter if you’re English or Indian, we should all love the fact that England have a lead and we’re hopefully in for a tight finish tomorrow,” Pietersen wrote in a tweet following the conclusion of play.
England’s post-lunch strategy of playing reverse sweep against spin proved to be highly effective. Pope and Ben Duckett added 68 runs to their partnership at the second wicket.
After their stand collapsed in just 57 balls and rattled the Indian camp, Jasprit Bumrah stepped in to respond quickly.
After Bumrah reversed the ball, Duckett was bowled out for 47 runs. He made seven fours out of 52 balls faced.
With just two runs needed to trap Joe Root, the Indian speedster quickly claimed his second wicket, bringing England to 117-3 in just 21 overs.
Pope and Jonny Bairstow shared a 23-run partnership before the latter was bowled shouldering arms to Ravindra Jadeja.
Jadeja went for runs throughout the day and ended with 1-101 in 26 overs while bowling just one maiden despite that success.
Ravichandran Ashwin claimed a wicket as well, using a quick off-spinner to dismiss Ben Stokes (6). England went to tea at 172-5, suddenly five down.
Ben Foakes and Pope had the most important partnership of the English innings at the restart. With both batsmen aiming to score at every chance, they scored 112 runs off 183 balls, applying more pressure to the Indian spinners.
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In the previous session, Pope reached 50 off 54 balls and proceeded to score his first second innings century off 154 balls. Considering that England lost a few more wickets, the second fifty runs was more relaxed, but later in the final session, the scoring rate increased.
Pope was dropped off Jadeja on 110, and Axar Patel converted a regular opportunity off another reverse sweep.
Patel atoned for his actions by bowling Foakes for 34 runs, which gave India a crucial victory. Pope, however, continued to deny the hosts, scoring another 41 off 62 balls to tie Rehan Ahmed (16 not out) for the seventh wicket without a break.
It was only the fourth occasion an English batsman had hit a second innings hundred in India, following Ken Barrington (1961), Mike Gatting (1984), and Jonathan Trott (2012).
Joe Root bagged 4-79 earlier in the morning session as India collapsed from 421-7 overnight to lose three wickets for 15 runs in 21 deliveries.
Jadeja was out for 87, elbw to Root, who was denied a hat trick, and lost out on his fourth test hundred.
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The English top order picked up speed in their second innings, reaching 89-1 after 15 overs before lunch, cutting India’s lead to 101 runs.