IND vs ENG, Day 4: England on top as India need another 381 runs to win

India on Monday reached 39/1 at day four stumps after spinner Jack Leach bowled Rohit Sharma for 12 on a deteriorating Chennai track. India, chasing 420, will resume their innings on day five with Shubman Gill (15*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12*) at the crease. 

Earlier on the day, Ravichandran Ashwin scalped six wickets to bundle out England for 178 with the visitors setting a target of 420.   

On a spinner-dominant day, Ashwin picked up his 28th five-wicket haul in England's second innings. The veteran spinner had sent Rory Burns back in the first ball of the innings before striking crucial blows including Ben Stokes. 

England skipper Joe Root continued his rich run of form as he scored 40 off 32 balls. He hit 218 in the first innings in what is his 100th Test for England. 

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Root was trapped lbw by speedster Jasprit Bumrah but had done the damage with seven boundaries. Ollie Pope (28) and Dom Bess (25) helped England extend their lead.  

Indian spinner Shahbaz Nadeem grabbed two wickets while Dan Lawrence was Ishant Sharma's 300th Test wicket.  

Commenting on the achievement, Ishant said: "It's been quite a roller-coaster life. I've had a lot of experience, a lot of mentors who taught me how to bowl in the subcontinent and how to bowl abroad. I'm a bit sore, after bowling 4-over bursts in domestic cricket, and then bowling 35 overs within a gap of just 3-4 days. 

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"If we get a good start tomorrow, we can chase this down, because we have a batting line-up that is fearless and can chase this down, and it's important to look at 381 runs and not 9 wickets. On the first two days, the pitch was not assisting us and the spinners, it felt like we played on a road, but it started turning later on in Day 4 and it was a lot more responsive then." 

India were bundled out for 337 in their first innings – 42 runs short of avoiding the follow on – despite Washington Sundar's stylish unbeaten 85. 

England, who scored 578 in the first innings, decided against enforcing the follow-on. India, on day 5, need another 381 runs to win.