India rout England by an innings and 25 runs in 4th Test, claim series 3-1 to qualify for WTC Final

Ahmedabad: India trounced England by an innings and 25 runs on the third day of the fourth Test to complete a 3-1 series victory on Saturday, securing their place in June’s World Test Championships final against New Zealand.

Resuming the day at 294 for seven in reply to England’s first innings total of 205, the hosts put on board 365 for a big 160-run lead.

Washington Sundar stayed unbeaten on 96 while Axar Patel scored 43.

For England, the script did not change much as their batsmen yet again found it tough to negotiate the challenge posed by the Indian spinners.

Dan Lawrence (50) though showed the required temperament to counter the spinners. Once their 44-run stand was broken, India did not take long to wrap up the match and the series.

Left-arm spinner Patel (5/48) and Ravichandran Ashwin (5/47) shared all the England wickets between them. The two teams will now play a five-match T20 series, starting March 12 at the same venue.

Brief Scores: India 1st Innings: 365 all out in 114.4 overs. (R Pant 101, W Sundar 96 not out, R Sharma 49; B Stokes 4/89, J Anderson 3/44).

England: 205 and 135 in 54.5 overs. (D Lawrence 50, J Root 30; A Patel 5/47, R Ashwin 5/48).