England v India: Ravichandran Ashwin takes final wicket as tourists cut hosts' series lead - BBC Sport
India complete a 203-run victory over England in the third Test at Trent Bridge, to halve the hosts' lead in the five-match series.
Last updated on .From the section Cricket

Third Specsavers Test, Trent Bridge (day five of five)

India needed less than three overs of the fifth morning to wrap up a massive win over England in the third Test at Trent Bridge.

James Anderson looped Ravichandran Ashwin to slip in front of a handful of spectators after Nottinghamshire reversed their decision to charge a £10 entry fee and allowed free admission.

The home side were 317 all out, giving India victory by 203 runs - only their seventh success in a Test in England.

The visitors also drag their deficit in the series back to 2-1 with two matches remaining. The fourth Test in Southampton begins on 30 August.

It is a fine comeback from Virat Kohli's side, who were steamrollered to lose the second Test by an innings.

But, after losing the toss at Trent Bridge, they batted, caught and used the new ball better than the hosts.

England may be without Jonny Bairstow for the fourth Test after he suffered a broken finger keeping wicket.
• None We're in the driving seat, we must remember that - Root

England deserve credit for the three consecutive Tests they won before this match but, for much of this contest, looked like they had learned little from a hammering by South Africa on the same ground in 2017, when they were bowled out for 205 and 133.

On this occasion, they surrendered all 10 wickets between lunch and tea on Sunday to be dismissed for 161 in their first innings.

They were in danger of another collapse on Tuesday until Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 169 that exhibited all the virtues of patient, careful and responsible Test batting.

Now, the question for Joe Root's side is can they follow the example of Buttler and Stokes to move on from the recklessness that has contributed to their recent Test results being so inconsistent?

Questions over who joins Alastair Cook at the top of the order have now spread to Cook himself, while current partner Keaton Jennings is in desperate need of runs in his second attempt at Test cricket.

Ollie Pope looked skittish at Trent Bridge, though allowances can be made for a 20-year-old in his second Test, and the Bairstow injury seems likely to leave a vacancy in the middle order.

On top of the batting, England continue to be hampered by dropped catches - 14 have gone down in three Tests so far this series.

India on the up

India were awful in the second Test at Lord's, bowled out for 107 and 130 and seemingly over-reliant on the runs of captain Kohli, who was struggling with a back problem.

Even though Kohli made scores of 97 and 103 here, the whole team has contributed.

All of the top order spent some time at the crease, debutant wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant provided dynamism, while Hardik Pandya had a fine all-round match and was part of an incisive four-man pace attack.

Perhaps their only concern from this win is an injury to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin that restricted his contribution throughout.

Prior to this match, India had won only one of their previous 11 Tests in England and passed 200 just once in their previous nine completed innings.

Now, the world number ones have their house in order and still have a chance of a first Test series victory here since 2007.