[Watch] Ravichandran Ashwin strikes again as Joe Root throws it away with a wild slog during Day 4 of India vs England 2nd Test
England's star batter Joe Root will be gutted with the shot that led to his dismissal off Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling during Day 4 of the ongoing Test against India in Visakhapatnam on Monday (February 5).
Root seemed to be struggling with an injured finger and that perhaps gave him more license to try and hit almost every delivery that he faced to the boundary. He also flew off the blocks with 16 runs off his first nine balls, hitting two fours and a six.
However, Ravichandran Ashwin was amidst a great spell and had his tail up with a couple of wickets in the innings already. Joe Root tried to come down the track and have a wild slog over mid-wicket, but the extra bounce from around the wicket meant that Root couldn't middle the shot.
The ball lobbed towards the short third-man region where Axar Patel completed a simple catch.
Click here to watch a video of the dismissal:
Both Ravichandran Ashwin and skipper Rohit Sharma were fired up as it seemed like a trap that was planned for Root. It was a massive breakthrough as the former England skipper seemed committed to playing a blinder.
Ravichandran Ashwin turning up is exactly what India needed
It was a pretty odd outing for Ashwin in the first innings as he conceded 61 runs in his 12 overs and went wicketless. England needed 332 more runs to win at the start of Day 4 and their 'Bazball' ideology had made it clear that they would be coming out all guns blazing.
India needed the veteran off-spinner to step up and that's what Ravichandran Ashwin did with a sensational spell in the morning session. He seemed to have already regained his confidence having dismissed Ben Duckett late on Day 3 and got into his groove straightaway on Day 4.
Ollie Pope looked ominous while he was at the crease and threatened to haunt the hosts once again as he did in Hyderabad. However, Ashwin dismissed the England vice-captain courtesy of a fine reflex catch from Rohit Sharma in the first slip.
Root's scalp took Ashwin to 499 Test wickets. India will be thrilled with the sensational first session they have had on Day 4. England are reeling at 194/6 at Lunch and the hosts will believe they are in the driver's seat in the Test.