LONDON – Ravindra Jadeja marked his return to India duty by top-scoringwith 86 not out as England’s James Anderson was kept waiting for a landmarkwicket at the Oval on Sunday.
Jadeja also shared a seventh-wicket stand of 77 with Hanuma Vihari, whomade 56 on debut, as India finished on 292 all out — just 40 runs behindEngland’s first innings 332.
England paceman Anderson took two for 54 in 21 overs to leave him two shyof Australia great Glenn McGrath’s record of 563 Test wickets, the mosttaken by any fast bowler.
At tea, England were 20 without loss in their second innings, a lead of 60runs in the last of a five-match series they had already won at 3-1 up.
Alastair Cook, England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, was 13 not outin his final innings before international retirement.
Keaton Jennings, who had earlier dropped India No 11 Jasprit Bumrah firstball when Jadeja had made just 56, was unbeaten on seven.
Before play started on Sunday, the International Cricket Council announcedAnderson had been fined 15 percent of his match for “speaking in anaggressive manner” to umpire Kumar Dharmasena on Saturday after an lbwreview against India captain Virat Kohli went the way of the star batsman.
Kohli eventually fell to Ben Stokes for 49, strengthening an England gripon the game established earlier in the day by Jos Buttler making 89 on his28th birthday.
India resumed in trouble at 174 for six, with Vihari 25 not out and Jadeja,recalled in place of the injured Ravichandran Ashwin, unbeaten on eight.
The veteran new-ball duo of Stuart Broad and Anderson were straight intothe attack on an overcast Sunday morning.
But Vihari, who came through a couple of close lbw incidents involvingBroad when on nought, was increasingly assured as he completed an admirablefifty in 104 balls, including six fours and a six.
Stokes thought he had Jadeja caught behind for 28 but Dharmasena said notout and an England review confirmed that the Sri Lankan had made yetanother good decision this match.
But a stand of 77 finished when off-spinner Moeen Ali, whose hat-trickended last year’s Oval Test against South Africa, drew Vihari forward, withwicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow holding a thin edge.
Jadeja, primarily a left-arm spinner, completed a 113-ball fifty includingseven fours, celebrating the landmark with a trademark twirl of the bat.
Silly-point Jennings then snatched at a bat/pad chance when Bumrah wentforward first ball to Adil Rashid after the leg-spinner had Mohammed Shamicaught in the deep.
England eventually took the new ball, with India 268 for nine off 87 overs.
Jadeja’s response was to drive Anderson straight back over his head for sixand hook Broad for four down to long leg.
But Jadeja, who made his highest Test score of 90 against England at Mohalitwo years ago, was left short of a hundred when Bumrah was run out as hetried to keep the strike. – APP/AFP