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India’s youngsters put their hands up in crucial situations to power the hosts to a five-wicket win over England. With the stellar victory over Ben Stokes and Co in Ranchi, India bagged the series with a game the spare.
England had their chances to break free, but lost the game in crucial fixtures, while India scripted a phenomenal comeback to seal the series.
Talking about the match and taking a dig at English media’s reaction to England’s loss, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said the visitors lost the match in ‘critical phases’. Chopra went on to urge the England media to address the real ‘elephant in the room’.
“England lost many ‘absolutely critical’ phases in this Test series…phases where they needed to simply consolidate their position. Phases where they needed to build on the advantage.
“But that’s not the narrative that sells…what sells with the British media is that ‘Nobody gave us a chance’ ‘Nobody beats India in India’ ‘See…we ran them close’.
“English middle-order (barring Pope and Root in one innings each) has capitulated on good pitches. Address that elephant in the room…but for that first admit that there’s an elephant in the room,” Aakash wrote on X.
England had stunned hosts India in the first Test with a 28-run win in Hyderabad. But Rohit Sharma-led India, without the services of several key players, led a stellar fightback to win the next three and bag the series with a game to spare.
India will now take on England in Dharamsala in the final match starting on March 7.