On This Day In 2021: India Trump England By 10 Wickets In Just 2 Days In Ahmedabad
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On This Day In 2021: England suffered a stunning 10-wicket defeat to India in just two days of third Test in Ahmedabad. With 17 wickets falling in two sessions, India secured the fastest Test win since 1935 early in the final session.
England lasted 476 balls across two innings – the fifth fewest in their Test history. (Image: @cricketcomau/X, formerly Twitter)
On This Day In 2021: Four years ago, India defeated England in one of Test cricket’s most enthralling matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match became an instant landmark in cricket history while sparking a global debate on pitch preparation.
The epic game was characterised by a dramatic collapse of a large portion of wickets on the second day of the Test. The sheer volume of wickets that tumbled led to widespread criticism as cricket fans and pundits questioned the very essence of Test cricket. India ended up winning the fixture by 10 wickets. Axar Patel was declared the Player of the Match for his 6/38 and 5/32 spells across both innings.
The incident occurred during the third Test of the 2021 England’s Tour of India. The Joe Root-led side were batting first after the toss.
On Day 1 of the fixture, England were dismissed for a mere 112 runs. The visiting side’s batting order had no answers to Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin’s unrelenting spin attack. India faced a similar issue on the Test’s first day. Rohit Sharma led the host side’s innings with an early half-century. India remained at 99/3 when the play ended on the opening day.
The following morning, on this day, both sides seemed unprepared for the pitch’s challenging batting conditions. India lost seven wickets to get bundled out for 145 runs. By tea time, England were already playing their second innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel made the most of the pitch’s unpredictable nature to keep the England batters in check. They exploited the pitch’s condition to devastating effect. After losing their top-order early, Joe Root formed a brief partnership with Ben Stokes.
Despite holding promise, they ended up getting dismantled with alarming rapidity. Axar and Ashwin combined for nine wickets as England were dismissed for 81 runs.
With a 49-run target ahead of them, India seemed to be in pole position to win the match and the hosts didn’t disappoint. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill played out an unbeaten partnership to register a dominant victory on Day 2.
The speed of the match’s conclusion startled both fans and critics. While the Ahmedabad win propelled India towards a series victory, it left a lingering sense of uneasiness.
The match also raised questions about the format’s future and the prevalence of day-night Tests. The Ahmedabad Test serves as a stern reminder of the unpredictable nature of the sport. It also showcased the enduring power of spin in subcontinent conditions.
- Location :
Ahmadpur, India, India