India leave door ajar for England after setting record 399-run target

Indias questionable batting approach left the door ajar for Englands bazballers to go for a record yet achievable 399run target in the IND vs ENG 2nd Test on Sunday the hosts once again allowing their fearless opponents to come back into the gameLike the series opener India had the opportunity to bat the Englishmen out of the match after Shubman Gills 104 off 147 balls but their inexplicable batting approach in the final session of third day raised the visiting teams hopesIndia ended with 255 all out in their second inningsOn expected lines England came out attacking through openers Zak Crawley 29 batting off 50 and Ben Duckett 28 before R Ashwin had the lefthander caught in his first overEngland ended at 67 for one at stumps with Crawley and night watchman Rehan Ahmed 9 batting in the centre still needing for 332 runs for a famous victoryThough the odd ball is keeping low there doesnt seem to be any demon in the pitch and England will be backing themselves to gun down the target and take a 20 series lead in the seriesThe West Indies getting to 395 in Bangladesh two years ago remains the highest chase recorded in AsiaDefinitely pleased but I left a few out there We could have done with a few more runs Gill said after third days playGill is confident of an Indian victory in the IND vs ENG 2nd TestNot an easy wicket to bat on you have to apply yourself The ball is turning hopefully we can get the ball in the right areas tomorrowIts about 7030 at the moment the morning session is a big one Weve seen some movement for the fast bowlers I think if we get the ball in the right areas well be okay Gill saidAlso ReadBrilliant BumrahIndia who were 227 for six at tea and led England by 370 runs could only manage 28 runs in 143 overs with their long tail not wagging againRather than going for strokes the likes of R Ashiwn 29 off 61 and Jasprit Bumrah 0 off 26 balls were happy to bat time not helping the teams cause eventuallyIn the first innings barring double centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal no batter crossed 40 and in the second innings the highest individual score after Gills hundred was 45 from Axar PatelWhile James Anderson 229 was relentless in his opening spell the inexperienced spin trio of Shoaib Bashir 158 Rehan Ahmed 388 and Tom Hartley 477 bowled the bulk of the overs in the absence of Joe Root who did not come out to field in the last two sessions after getting hit on his right little fingerIndias bizarre tactics came after Gill overcame a lean patch to score his third Test hundred before teaIndia made 97 runs in the afternoon session courtesy an 89run stand between Gill and AxarGill stole the show with his century but Axar also looked assured batting at number sixGill who had completed his half century before lunch continued to attack the spinnersLegspinner Rehan Ahmed tried the roundthewicket tactic but it did not work as Gill stepped out to smash him for a straight six before unleashing the sweep and ondrive for backtoback fours in the same overThe India number three got to three figures off Bashir in the 52nd over and his celebration was rather a muted one as if he expected a lot more consistency out of himself He had completed his first 50 plus score in 13 inningsWith Ben Stokes going for a short midon and short midwicket Gill was trapped into playing a reverse sweep off Bashir The ball deflected from Gills gloves and keeper Ben Foakes pouched an easy catchCloser to tea Axar also departed after a flat ball from Hartley kept a bit low and as per replays was crashing into the stumpsIn the morning Anderson struck twice before Gill rode his luck to complete a muchneeded halfcentury to take India to 130 for four at lunchGill survived two close DRS calls in successive overs soon after his arrival into the middle to post his first fifty plus score in 13 inningsThe first 30 minutes of the morning session belonged to Anderson who continues to lord over batters at 41 years of ageThe veteran pacer first removed Rohit with an unplayable ball that seamed away a touch to knock the Indian skippers off stump in his first over of the day before getting the inform Jaiswal caught at first slip with a full ball in his following overThe first innings double centurion went through with the loose drive and Joe Root did the rest at first slip Gill and Iyer both struggling for runs found themselves in the middle and ended up sharing an 81run stand off 112 ballsThe India number three was tentative at the start and Andersons accuracy made him look more vulnerable Gill first survived a close lbw call off Tom Hartley with the TV umpire overturning the onfield decision after spotting an inside edge that the batter himself was not sure aboutIn the next over an incoming ball from Anderson thudded into Gills knee roll and on this occasion the umpires call saved GillIt seemed that was the stroke of luck that Gill desperately needed as he grew in confidence from thereon He stepped out for a straight six off Shoaib Bashir to get going before using is feet against the other spinnersIyer too played a few strokes at the other end before a moment of sheer brilliance from Stokes sent him back to the dressing roomSeeing midoff up Iyer took the aerial route against Hartley and Stokes showed great athleticism to run backwards to pluck that catch out of thin airWith agency inputs