Summary

  • England bowled out for 178 - India need 420 to win or to bat for just over a day

  • Root top-scores with 40; six wickets for Ashwin

  • England choose not to enforce follow-on but lose Burns first ball

  • Ishant takes 300th Test wicket by dismissing Lawrence lbw

  • Two wickets each for Leach and Anderson as India bowled out for 337

  • First Test, day four, Chennai

  1. 'Bess will be a real concern for Root'published at 07:08 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    Abhishek Jhunjhunwala
    Former IPL batsman on The Cricket Social

    You've got to give credit to Jack Leach - he came back really well. He bowled a good channel, a good line and length and those were two genuine left-arm spinner wickets.

    He needed that confidence for the second innings because if he didn't get any wickets it would have been really difficult for him to come back from that. It also gives a lot more confidence to Joe Root to continue bowling him throughout the day.

    The real concern for Root will be Dom Bess. Even though he's picked up four wickets he has bowled a lot of long hops, short deliveries. He needs to bowl a lot better because Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara aren't going to get out in the same way again.

  2. Eng 23-1published at 9 overs

    Lead by 264

    I wonder whether performances elsewhere in the world will have an impact on England's thinking?

    West Indies chased 395 against Bangladesh yesterday and now South Africa are 217-3 in pursuit of a target of 370.

    It's not like these things come in threes, right?

  3. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 07:04 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    #bbccricket

    Mike Owen: Sibley and Lawrence are going to have their batting techniques tested to the limit here. Totally engrossing watch, just missing the wonderful Chennai crowd.

  4. Eng 20-1published at 8 overs

    Sibley 11, Lawrence 7

    Dan Lawrence runs straight down the middle of the pitch when running a single. He'll go far that lad.

    The umpire gives him a quiet telling off.

    Nadeem keeps Sibley tied down in this over.

  5. 'Seeing the usual Kohli today'published at 07:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on The Cricket Social

    Virat Kohli has been much more animated today. He has actually been quite quiet compared to his usual standards in the first three days. There hasn't been the usual strutting about, arms pointing and just generally clapping and noisy but today we are seeing much more of the usual Kohli.

  6. What you may have missedpublished at 07:00 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    AndersonImage source, BCCI

    Just waking up? Lucky you... you've got four hours sleep on us hardy souls.

    India impressed with the bat this morning - Washington Sundar looking particularly fluent in making an unbeaten 85 before quick wickets from James Anderson and Jack Leach took two wickets each to bowl out the hosts for 337. The final wicket came via a superb one-handed catch by Ben Stokes at first slip.

    England took a lead of 241 into their second innings, having chosen not to follow on, and in the seven minutes they had to bat before lunch, they lost Rory Burns for a first-ball duck.

    Since then, Dom Sibley and Dan Lawrence have, somehow, added a handful of runs to England's sizeable, but not yet match-winning, advantage.

  7. Eng 19-1published at 7 overs

    Lead by 260

    India haven't solved their no-ball problem from the first innings. Ashwin is the latest culprit.

  8. Not outpublished at 06:59 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    A good decision from the on-field umpire. Lawrence had indeed got outside the line of off stump when the ball hit him.

    India are piling the pressure on with their appeals but that was a good decision.

  9. Postpublished at 06:58 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    My initial thought was Lawrence had got outside the line. There's no bat.

  10. India reviewpublished at 6.4 overs

    India take an lbw decision to Lawrence upstairs.

    Ashwin liked it. Wicketkeeper Pant less so. Kohli sides with his bowler.

  11. Eng 16-1published at 6 overs

    Sibley 10, Lawrence 5

    That was a bad ball by Nadeem and the boundary has forced Kohli to put a fielder back on the rope. That's a small win for England. It's one less man who could catch the ball close in.

  12. Postpublished at 06:55 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on The Cricket Social

    Changing the order doesn't always work but it is a show of intent and it is a shutter into the captain's mind, to see what he is thinking.

    The fact that he opened with Dom Sibley - maybe he thinks it is tough. He can always send Buttler and Stokes in for the last 40 minutes if England get into a position to whack a few.

  13. Eng 15-1published at 5.3 overs

    Dom Sibley just a blocker you say?

    He cuts Nadeem excellently for four.

  14. Eng 11-1published at 5 overs

    Lead by 252

    Both batsman look like they want to use their feet. Sibley is down the track and eases another smart single.

    Lawrence skips towards the bowler, tries a more aggressive shot but misses.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 06:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    #bbccricket

    Jonathan Cable (see 06:29): In fact even if India bowl us out for 50, we'll still win.

  16. Eng 10-1published at 4.2 overs

    Is it not wise for Sibley to see off the new ball for 10 overs and give Root, Stokes and Buttler a chance?

    It's turning and bouncing at the moment. I doubt Stokes and Root could score quickly even if they tried.

  17. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 06:49 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    #bbccricket

    Edward Laslett: Why on earth would you send Sibley out first to score at 1 an over for the rest of the day like he did against West Indies when time was short? It is simply poor decision-making and a lack of situational awareness from Joe Root

  18. Eng 8-1published at 4 overs

    Sibley 2, Lawrence 5

    India are buzzing. They know they have to chase wickets here and now. Lawrence knocks one into the leg side and there are fielders running from all directions after the ball. Even wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is chasing it.

    There's plenty of yelping but two more singles come for England.

  19. Postpublished at 06:47 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2021

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on The Cricket Social

    This is a big innings for Dan Lawrence. We really liked his composure in his first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, but how is he going to go now?

    The noise around the bat before lunch was incredible and it can be very confusing. I was a bit surprised that they weren't talking in Hindi, and to hear Virat Kohli shouting "come on boys".

  20. Eng 6-1published at 3.2 overs

    Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem continues. It's spin all the way with the new ball and it is awfully difficult to face.

    Sibley leaves one and then rocks forward to nab a single a ball later.