Dhruv Jurel, Shubman Gill see off early bumps to give India series win over England

Youngsters Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill overcame a tricky period of play to see India through to a 5-wicket win.

Youngsters Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill overcame a tricky period of play to see India through to a 5-wicket win over England on Day 4 of the Ranchi Test and thus seal the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead. India, who went into stumps overnight at 40/1 and needed to knock off another 152, lost four wickets for 21 runs and seemed rocked, before Jurel and Gill saw took them over the line with an unbeaten 72-run partnership.

Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel ensured India did not collapse. (AP)

Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal struck half-centuries, and got India off to a brisk start, but with both openers dismissed in a span of 15 runs, India were dealt a wake-up call. Shoaib Bashir had Jaiswal tempted into play a loose aerial drive before Tom Hartley foxed Rohit Sharma out stumped. Rajat Patidar's tough time continued as he was out for a duck, and things went from bad to worse for India as after lunch Bashir added two more, dismissing Ravindra Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan off consecutive deliveries.

India needed Jurel, facing the hat-trick ball, to produce a repeat of his heroics from the first innings, and he did exactly that. His partner Gill, was troubled early on, and with both spinners settling on a nice, testing line and length, both batters decided to bat themselves in. It meant that for 31 overs, India went without a single boundary and the scoring-rate dipped.

But with time, they continued to take singles and bring the target down gradually. Finally, with 20 needed to win, Gill upped the ante, smacking Bashir for back-to-back sixes and getting to his half-century – his second fifty of the series to go with a 100. And when there were 6 needed to be knocked off, Jurel pulled a four and completed a couple of runs to cap off a brilliant come-from-behind win for India.