Ravindra Jadeja ripped the heart out of England’s batting order to bowl India to a thumping innings and 75-run victory in the fifth and final test on Tuesday.
The left-arm spinner claimed seven of the 10 English wickets that tumbled in the final two sessions as India completed an emphatic 4-0 series win.
The touring side needed to bat out the final day to secure a consolation draw and Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings defended resolutely through the morning to boost their chances.
Cook did look ill at ease against spin and got a life on four when he lunged forward to edge Ravichandran Ashwin but the ball popped out of wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel’s gloves.
Jennings played more confidently although was nearly caught by Lokesh Rahul at short leg off Amit Mishra when on 31.
Jadeja returned after lunch to turn the match on its head.
The all-rounder has haunted Cook since the tourists landed in India and he dismissed the England captain for the sixth time in the series by getting him caught at leg slip.
It was a poor shot from Cook who edged a leg-side delivery to Rahul to depart for 49.
Jennings followed up his debut century in the previous test in Mumbai with a fifty but offered a tame return catch to Jadeja after making 54.
“We understood that once we got a couple of wickets, it’s going to be a downslide pretty quick (for England),” India captain Virat Kohli, who was adjudged man-of-the-series for his 655 runs, said at the presentation ceremony.
“Jadeja coming and doing the job in both the innings….hitting the right areas and making it uncomfortable for the batsmen, it was great to watch,” Kohli said.
thon 303 not out.
