Ashwin spins it India’s way

​Visakhapatnam: Ravichandran Ashwin was back in his elements with yet another five-wicket haul, setting up a perfect launch pad for skipper Virat Kohli to extend India's lead to 298 runs against England on the third day of the second cricket Test at YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium here on Saturday.

Ashwin recorded his best figures against England, picking 5 for 67 as India bowled out England for 255 in their first essay, to take a commanding lead of 200 runs.

Deciding against enforcing the follow-on, India reached 98 for 3 in their second innings at close of play, with skipper Kohli once again leading from the front with an attacking 56 off 70 balls. His innings was laced with six boundaries.

Kohli, who had scored a century in the first innings, was batting in the company of Ajinkya Rahane (22) when stumps were drawn.
While the pitch has not deteriorated massively, batting on fourth and fifth day will be trickier and Kohli would like to take charge and set up a target beyond the reach of the visitors.

The off-spinner faced some challenges but he returned to rip through the tail with wickets in successive deliveries after Ben Stokes (70) and Jonny Bairstow (53) put on 110 runs for the fifth wicket. With 33 minutes to tea, England's first innings folded for in 102.5 overs with a deficit of exactly 200 runs.

Stokes and Bairstow (53) dominated the first session and with India desperate for a breakthrough, Umesh Yadav finally provided the opening when he cleaned up the latter with a fuller delivery.

Having completed his 12th Test half-century with a boundary against Yadav a couple of overs ago, Bairstow was beaten by pace as he tried to work the ball away before it cannoned into his leg stump after grazing his pad.

Having done all the hard work by taking the team out of the rut from being 80/5, Stokes’s end came in the second session that also opened the day's account for Ashwin.

Stokes’s wicket virtually opened the gate for India as Ravindra Jadeja bowled Zafar Ansari (4) at the other end before the Ashwin trapped Stuart Board (13) and James Anderson (0) leg before off successive deliveries.

When India batted, England struck early with Stuart Broad (2/6) making full use of the DRS to remove both the openers -- Murali Vijay (3) and KL Rahul (10), who failed in both of his innings before James Anderson castled Cheteshwar Pujara (1) to reduce India to 40/3 inside 17 overs.