MOHALI: India inched closer to winning the Test series against England after the tourists made a bold attempt yesterday to turn the second Test their way.
England, trailing by 151 runs on the first innings, reduced India to 44-3 in their second knock after lunch on the fourth day before opener Gautam Gambhir once again proved a stumbling block.
The left-hander, who made 179 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 44 as India closed the day at 134 for four, an overall lead of 285 runs with six wickets in hand.
Barring a sensational turn of events on the final day, India look set to force a draw and take the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Chennai by six wickets.
“I think it will be hard for us to force a result from here,” said England’s star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
“It is going to be difficult to chase anything down. To get a result, we are going to have to do something pretty special.” England ripped through India’s top order as Virender Sehwag was run out for 17 and first-innings century maker Rahul Dravid was bowled middle stump by Stuart Broad for zero.
Ian Bell threw himself on the stumps to run out the dangerous Sehwag, who called Gambhir for a sharp single after playing a defensive shot off Broad.
James Anderson then had Sachin Tendulkar caught by Graeme Swann at gully for five to make India 44-3, a lead of just 195 runs.
Gambhir put on 36 for the fourth wicket with Venkatsai Laxman (15) and 54 for the unfinished fifth with Yuvraj Singh, who hit a quickfire 39 not out off 40 balls with five boundaries and a six.
Laxman was the second Indian batsman to be run out when Flintoff swept on the ball in the covers and threw to wicketkeeper Matt Prior before the batsman had made his ground.
Earlier, India bowled out England for 302 in their first innings just before lunch to gain a handsome lead of 151 runs.
England, resuming at their overnight score of 282-6, lost their last four wickets quickly after play began two hours late due to dense winter fog over this northern town.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed three of those wickets to finish with four for 68, while left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan took one, for an innings total of three for 76.
Harbhajan has now claimed 63 wickets in this calendar year, second only to South African paceman Dale Steyn’s tally of 64.
India grabbed England’s last six wickets for 22 runs after skipper Kevin Pietersen’s 144 and Flintoff’s 62 had lifted the tourists to 280-4 on Sunday.
Yuvraj admitted any chance of a result today will depend on the weather.
“If we have an entire’s day play and we get a lot more overs in, we will try to put up a big score and have a go at England,” he said.
Harbhajan broke through in yesterday’s third over when he had Prior caught down the leg-side by captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni.
Broad was bowled by the spinner for one and Zaheer uprooted Swann’s stumps, before Harbhajan ended the innings by having last man Monty Panesar caught at short-leg.
Anderson, who came in as night watchman on the fourth day, remained unbeaten on eight.
