Axar Patel picked up 5 wickets as India beat England by 317 runs in the second Test to level the four-match series 1-1 at Chennai’s M A Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
India left-arm spinner Axar Patel repaid the faith of the team management with a five-wicket haul as the hosts beat England by 317 runs in the second Test to level the four-match series on Tuesday.
Axar Patel Reckons It Was A Good Experience Getting 5 Wicket Haul On Debut
Axar Patel, who replaced Shahbaz Nadeem who performed poorly in this match, became the 9th Indian player to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut and only the second left-arm spinner after Dilip Doshi to take a five-for in his debut Test.
Dilip Doshi was the first left-arm spinner to take a five-for-on debut at the same venue against Australia in Chennai in 1979.
“It was a good experience, to get a five-wicket haul on debut is special. As Kuldeep said, there was much happening on the pitch. It was about varying your speed and I just kept doing it. Forced the batsman to make mistakes. On the first day itself, it was turning. So, we bowled tight lines and got the rewards,” Axar Patel said after the match.
India beat England by 317 runs in the second Test to level the four-match series 1-1 at Chennai’s M A Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday. Kuldeep Yadav also picked 2 scalps in his Test return while 2nd innings centurion Ravichandran Ashwin picked 3 scalps. Axar Patel picked Joe Root in both innings and picked 7 scalps overall.
England All Out For 164 Chasing 482 To Win In 2nd Test
Chasing a record victory target of 482, England were all out for 164 in their second innings with Moeen Ali their top scorer with a breezy 43. The third test, a day-night contest, is set for Ahmedabad from February 24.
Moeen Ali had tested positive for COVID-19 before the first test on reaching Sri Lanka, earlier in January, and missed 2 Tests against Sri Lanka. He played against India in the 2nd Test and picked 4 scalps in each innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin was unanimously chosen MOM for his century in India’s 2nd innings and his 5 wicket haul in 1st innings and 3 wicket haul in 2nd innings of England.