England's Shoaib Bashir shines on tricky Ranchi pitch, leaves India reeling in 4th Test

In a gripping display of spin mastery on a challenging Ranchi pitch, England's Shoaib Bashir emerged as the day's hero, dealing a significant blow to India's aspirations in the fourth Test at the JSCA International Stadium.

With ten wickets tumbling on Day 2, India found themselves trailing England by 134 runs at stumps, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle on the morrow. Having asserted their dominance with a commanding lead in the series after a resounding victory in Rajkot, India faced an uphill task to turn the tide in their favor.

England, resuming their innings at 303 for 7, capitalized on the platform laid by Joe Root's majestic century on Day 1. Root, in tandem with Ollie Robinson, constructed a crucial partnership, frustrating the Indian bowlers with a resilient stand. Robinson, in particular, showcased his mettle by notching his maiden Test fifty, bolstering England's total to 353 runs before Ravindra Jadeja's wizardry dismantled their tail.

Jadeja's brilliance with the ball was a silver lining for the hosts, as he orchestrated England's collapse with four crucial wickets to his name. The debutant pacer, Akash Deep, complemented Jadeja's efforts with a commendable three-wicket haul, restricting England from running away with the game.

In reply, India's innings got off to a rocky start with veteran pacer James Anderson drawing first blood by dismissing skipper Rohit Sharma early on. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill steadied the ship with a resilient partnership, offering a glimmer of hope for the hosts.

Yet, it was Shoaib Bashir's moment to shine as the young spinner showcased his prowess, dismantling India's top order with precision. Gill and Rajat Patidar fell victim to Bashir's guile, while Jadeja's aggressive cameo was short-lived, leaving India reeling.

Despite the onslaught, Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav displayed grit and determination, thwarting England's advances to ensure India ended the day's play with hopes still flickering.