Image Credit- AFP
As absurd as it may sound, the hunt is underway. No
team in Test history has ever chased a goal of 399 to win in India, but no team
has ever played with nearly the same unwavering optimism as this England squad.
With Ben Duckett out of the equation, England’s top
order had already consumed 67 of their required runs in 14 overs by the end of
another thrilling day in Visakhapatnam. However, Rehan Ahmed’s promotion to the
legendary “night-hawk” role has reinforced their resolve to pursue
every scoring opportunity available and brought back memories for India of
Edgbaston 2022, when this same team easily reached a target of 378 with hardly
a drop of perspiration.
Shubman Gill, who scored a courageous 104 off 147
balls in his third Test century, was largely responsible for their high chase.
In 13 innings of progressively higher pressure, this was Gill’s first notable
score.
Gill overcame an incredible tribulation in the first
thirty minutes of the day to support a second-inning total of 255, which,
considering the lead India had going into it, would be ample in any other Test
scenario. However, following the miracle in Hyderabad, nothing looks quite as
safe for India as it should be. Even while there’s a good chance the incredible
Jasprit Bumrah still has a lot more to give, Gill’s post-match comment that
India was “70-30” favourites highlighted their concerns.
Every aspect of India’s performance exhibited this
peculiar uneasiness, even up to and including the cathartic cheer that followed
R Ashwin’s dismissal of Duckett for 28 in his opening over of the innings.
However, England ended the day as they had started it, clearly up against it
but swinging their haymakers with fierce conviction as Zak Crawley pounded his
drives with front-foot dominance to reach 29 not out from 50 balls at the end.
On a foggy morning, India’s second innings began with
ten wickets ahead of their overnight lead of 171, and James Anderson’s
exceptional new-ball skills were in ideal condition to capitalize on the
situation. With only 56 overs between innings, Anderson was not as rested as he
might have been, as he quickly removed both of India’s openers in the span of
nine deliveries.
After Anderson’s period ended, Gill started to emerge
from his shell, and a lazy six-off to Shoaib Bashir appeared to indicate he was
starting to settle in. He managed to steal a noticeable edge from Hartley, but
Root was too distracted by a single slip to intervene. This led to another
near-miss.
If England is to chase this target, a lot of records
will have to fall, but India might remember that in 2008, when they set the
standard with their chase of 387 to defeat England in Chennai, it was Virender
Sehwag who broke the back of the chase with his thunderous half-century on the
fourth evening. There’s a whole brigade of them charging over the brow today,
if he was the first Bazballer.