Kohli, Rahane's Effort Went In Vain As Ali Stars In Series Win For England

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Skipper Virat Kohli (58 off 130 balls) and Ajinkya Rahane's (51 off 159 balls) partnership of 101-run gave India a hope to win the match and level the series but just when India started feeling on top, Moeen Ali (4 for 71) ran through India's middle-order to handed them a 60-runs defeat at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on Sunday, September 2 and take an unassailable 3-1 lead with one more match to play..

India had their moments in this match first, they let England score 246 in the first innings from 86 for 6 then they scrambled against Moeen Ali while batting and again the let it go from 140 for 2 to 272-all out. India had still a chance in the second innings if they could stop England under 200 but they failed again.



The target of 245 in the fourth innings was always going to be very difficult to chase down on a pitch which was turning square and it had become almost impossible after losing three wickets on just 22 on the board.

However, India was still hoping to win the match as their two best players, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane were still at the crease. The duo, however, survived a few close calls but they looked determined at the crease to taking forward the inning. Both were very watchful at throughout the innings and scored their half-centuries.

But it was always going to be a matter of one ball against Moeen Ali and that came when ball kissed Kohli's glove and went in Cook's hand at short leg. It was perhaps the turning point of this match where the pendulum swung in England's favour again. India were 126 for 4 at Tea with 119 still to win.



Hardik Pandya again failed with the bat and fell just after tea. Rishabh Pant (18) sawed positive intent by hitting a six and four to Ali but that proved shot in the dark as he caught at the mid-off boundary by Cook. With the dismissal of Rahane, India's last hope also dismissed. Ravichandran Ashwin (25) played some good shots but that only proved to shorten the margin of defeat.

England's bowlers were right up to the mark from ball one. Stuart Broad and James Anderson ran through India's top order. Broad dismissed KL Rahul while Anderson removed Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara cheaply. Moeen Ali who took 5-wickets in the first wickets again spun India's middle-order including Kohli and Rahane. Ali awarded man of the match for taking 9 wickets and scoring valuable 49-runs in the match.

The fifth and final Test will be played at Kia Oval from September 7.

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