ENG vs IND: “A Shock For Indian Team,” Says Ajit Agarkar As England Chase Down Record 378 In Edgbaston Test

England on Sunday registered their highest-ever successful chase in the fourth innings of a Test match with their seven-wicket win over India in the rescheduled fifth and final match. The game at Edgbaston, Birmingham saw a superb comeback from the hosts as they won it despite conceding a first-innings lead of 132 runs to India. In the final innings of the match, England needed to chase down 378 runs and they did that quite easily, courtesy of unbeaten centuries from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.

The hosts reached home in just 76.4 overs. Their scoring rate in the final innings was close to five runs per over. While Root scored unbeaten 142, Bairstow scored 114 not out. Both knocks came after Alex Lees (56) and Zak Crawley (46) added 107 runs for the opening wicket in just 21.4 overs. On the other hand, the duo of Root and Bairstow added unbeaten 269 runs for the fourth wicket in 52.3 overs.

While admitting that nothing could be done when the likes of Bairstow and Root get going, former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar said that the side should have made things tough for England. He added that such a loss is going to be a shock for the Indian team.

“It’s not a disgrace when there are two guys who have confidence and are quality players… (but) it’s the manner in which India has lost this game,” said Ajit Agarkar in the post-match show on SonyLIV.

“They certainly had to make them (England) work a lot harder… To get it as easily as they (England) did, it has to be a shock for the Indian team” he added.

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Notably, the 378-run chase by England is also the highest successful chase by any team against India in a Test match.

With the historic win on Sunday, England levelled the five-match series against India 2-2.