Ashwin on cloud nine, India wrap it up in 3 days to win series 4-1

Around ten minutes away from what should have been the tea interval on Saturday, Kuldeep Yadav had Joe Root caught by Jasprit Bumrah at long-on to mark an early end to the fifth and final Test. Long before that final dismissal midway through the third day though, the writing was on the wall as the familiar failings of England’s batters resulted in victory for India by an innings and 64 runs. India’s 4-1 series win is an apt reflection of the way these contests have panned out over the past six weeks.

While England won the opener and competed at certain stages of the following three matches, they were outplayed here, looking just as clueless about how to beat India in India as many other teams have since 2013. In these situations, India’s bowling attack – comprising a great pacer, three world-class spinners and an ever-improving Mohammed Siraj -- is just relentless, hunting for wickets and building pressure all the time.

Off-spinner R Ashwin, in his 100th Test, was the man of the moment on Saturday. He claimed his 36th five-wicket haul (14-0-77-5) as England were skittled for 195 in their second innings. But don't forget the contribution of Kuldeep, who took 5/72 in the first innings on a placid pitch to nudge India ahead in this Test.

An action-packed opening session on Saturday was enough for the hosts to know that they will stroll towards an innings victory. While they lost their two remaining first-innings wickets quickly to be 477 all out, taking a lead of 259 -- Kuldeep was James Anderson’s 700th Test scalp while Jasprit Bumrah was stumped to give Shoaib Bashir a second five-wicket haul in this series – England’s response with the bat lacked the skill and application required.

They lost five wickets in less than two hours before lunch, Ashwin inflicting most of the damage with four scalps. You could draw the inference that some of the harm was self-inflicted given the attacking shots that cost Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for instance, but it comes from the inability to trust their defence.

Duckett charged at Ashwin like a cat on a hot tin roof off just the fifth ball of his innings, a result perhaps of the previous delivery almost ballooning to short leg. Duckett’s premeditated attempt was suicidal nonetheless; his bat was in a different postcode when the ball landed and hit off-stump.

Zak Crawley, on the other hand, tried to be cautious, paying heed to the probing spells Bumrah and Ashwin were bowling with the new ball. But just two balls after the first sign of sharp turn on Saturday – Ashwin's first delivery in the sixth over ragged square past the batter and the wicketkeeper for two byes -- Crawley was walking back for a 16-ball duck. By imparting overspin on the ball and getting it to dip, Ashwin had played his part in drawing Crawley towards offering a sharp catch to Sarfaraz Khan at backward short leg.

For Pope, Ashwin, always alert to the shots a batter is likely to employ, was ever so astute in pulling his length back. Even before the ball pitched, Pope had made up his mind to sweep and paid the price as a top edge was well-taken by Yashasvi Jaiswal at backward square leg. Again, Ashwin’s previous deliveries may have contributed to the downfall, having got one before that to beat Pope’s drive and the stumps altogether for four byes. “What had happened previously was definitely playing on Pope’s mind. I was expecting the sweep or reverse sweep,” Ashwin later revealed.

Ashwin wouldn’t have it all his way in his 100th Test though. Jonny Bairstow, also playing his 100th Test, came out with the intent to attack in his final innings of the series and connected sweetly for three sixes against the ace spinner. But Bairstow has been more bust than boom on this tour, and predictably fell leg-before wicket for a 31-ball 39 in Kuldeep’s first over.

At the stroke of lunch, Bumrah – taking the calls with Rohit Sharma off the field due to a stiff back – brought back Ashwin. Five balls in, Ashwin accounted for Stokes for the 13th time in Tests for yet another five-wicket haul.

Defeated and deflated, Root still showed a sprinkling of resolve for a knock of 84. A silver lining was Root’s 48-run stand with Bashir for the ninth wicket, but from India’s perspective, it was simply delaying the inevitable.

“When you win a Test, everything has to fall into place,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation. “Lot of things we did right through the match. All these (young) guys are short on experience, but they've played a lot of cricket. We've got to nurture them and make them understand the game. When put under pressure, they responded pretty well. Credit goes to the entire team for that. We talk about scoring runs, but it is as important to take 20 wickets to win a Test. All the bowlers responded.”