India trounced England by an innings and 25 runs on the third day of the fourth Test to complete a 3-1 series victory on Saturday, securing their place in June’s World Test Championships final against New Zealand.
Resuming the day at 294 for seven in reply to England’s first innings total of 205, the hosts put on board 365 for a big 160-run lead.
Washington Sundar stayed unbeaten on 96 while Axar Patel scored 43.
For England, the script did not change much as their batsmen yet again found it tough to negotiate the challenge posed by the Indian spinners.
Dan Lawrence (50) though showed the required temperament to counter the spinners. Once their 44-run stand was broken, India did not take long to wrap up the match and the series.
Left-arm spinner Patel (5/48) and Ravichandran Ashwin (5/47) shared all the England wickets between them.
Twitter was in awe of the Indian cricket team came back strongly from the disappointment in the first Test in the series 3-1.
A moment to cherish for #TeamIndia 🇮🇳🇮🇳
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 6, 2021
ICC World Test Championship Final - Here we come 😎💪🏻@Paytm #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/BzRL9l1iMH
Well played, @BCCI 👏
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 6, 2021
Congrats on your performance and Test series victory.
We look forward to hosting you later this summer.
🇮🇳 #INDvENG 🏴 pic.twitter.com/MnzvbyfbF1
We worked really hard for this, happy to be in the finals. Looking forward. 🏆#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/cTzFkVheRl
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 6, 2021
Kohli’s leadership this test match allowed young guns like Axar, Rishabh and Washie to play with freedom and dominate the game. It takes a special leader to elevate other players around them through body language and passion when their personal performance has been down.
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) March 6, 2021
Fantastic victory #TeamIndia!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 6, 2021
Many congratulations on reaching the #WTCFinal.
Absolutely enjoyed the way each player contributed in every department throughout the series, especially @RishabhPant17, @Sundarwashi5, @akshar2026, @ashwinravi99 & @ImRo45.#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/y1gwRn3cKR
Predicted before the series 3-1 India. And 3-1 it is. Well done team India on winning the series 🇮🇳 #INDvENG
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 6, 2021
India on 🔝
— ICC (@ICC) March 6, 2021
Virat Kohli and Co. are No.1 in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Team Rankings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uHG4q0pUlj
A brilliant series win and some fantastic performances. An end to an exciting last few months of test cricket as we look forward to the World Test Championship now. pic.twitter.com/j9ETR67rXW
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) March 6, 2021
Great performance by Team India after the first Test setback. Very happy to be able to play my role in helping the team, while batting and keeping. World Test Championship beckons!@BCCI #INDvENG #TeamIndia #RP17 pic.twitter.com/ruX4wwUxpn
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) March 6, 2021
Well done, Team India. To win a Test series at home without Kohli-Rahane-Pujara scoring a single century and no Jadeja-Shami. That too...after losing the first Test match convincingly. This team keeps growing in stature....appreciation and admiration. 🙏🥳👏 #IndvEng
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 6, 2021
So many outstanding performances but Rishabh Pant - what a difference 6 months can make. A poor IPL, questions over his commitment & criticism of his keeping in Aus but has shown everyone what is achievable with hard work. An incredible rise again and hugely inspiring #INDvENG
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) March 6, 2021
Back-to-back come-from-behind series wins for India, in Aus and v England. I think I'm right in saying this is only the second time in Test history that a team has won consecutive series after going behind, after England last year (won in SA and v WI after losing first Tests).
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 6, 2021
England have now reached a half century of partnerships since a partnership last reached a half century. 🤝
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) March 6, 2021
The bowling has been excellent but the batting is listless too. I suspect the series was lost in the mind long before this innings started.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 6, 2021
T Natarajan for the series win in Australia. Akshar Patel for the series win against England. India finding new stars to lift trophies & celebrate victories #IndvEng
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) March 6, 2021
Just realized that the next time we'll see India in the whites will be in July. Been such a fulfilling 4 months of Test cricket. 🥺
— Sarah Waris (@swaris16) March 6, 2021
RAVI ASHWIN five wicket haul alert! What a way to finish! India wins by an Innings and 25 runs! Hats off to you India. Amazing. What a team! 🇮🇳🏴 #INDvENG
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) March 6, 2021
3-1 after loosing the 1st test.. Great results for team india @BCCI congratulations to each and every member of the team including the sports staff.. well done to the top performers of the series @ashwinravi99 @akshar2026 @RishabhPant17 @ImRo45 #INDvsENG
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) March 6, 2021
🔥 Highest wicket-taker
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 6, 2021
💥 Top five run-getter
🖐️ Three fifers
💯 One hundred
Another masterful series for R Ashwin and he is the man of the series 👏 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/hMSbIDtqcf
Innings victory in 3 days, what a match 🔥
— Karun Nair (@karun126) March 6, 2021
Congratulations Team India! 🇮🇳 🙌🏽#INDvENG
The wifi for Joe Root's press conference is breaking down. There's a metaphor in there somewhere.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) March 6, 2021
Even when England took 1-0 lead, I was sure it was just impossible to beat this Indian team at home. #INDvENG https://t.co/LFpZIwv2m7
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) March 6, 2021
Virat Kohli - We can't wait for the finals of World Test Championship.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 6, 2021
R Ashwin has now won a Player of the Series against each of the six major opponents he has played against.
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) March 6, 2021
✅ WI 🌴 (2011 & 2016)
✅ NZ 🇳🇿 (2012 & 2016)
✅ Aus 🇦🇺 (2013)
✅ SL 🇱🇰 (2015)
✅ SA 🇿🇦 (2015)
✅ Eng 🏴 (2021)#INDvENG
India have been far too good ... the last 3 Tests they have absolutely hammered England ... If they can win in England they are without doubt the best Test team of this era ... but that will take some doing against the swinging ball ... #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 6, 2021
This era India team (2016-present) is one of modern Test cricket's greatest teams & one of the most dominant home teams ever. They could—with wins in the WTC, in England & in SA this year—move into the very upper echelons of sides in Test history. #INDvENG
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) March 6, 2021