England spinner Shoaib Bashir had the last laugh in Dharamsala as he dismissed debutant Devdutt Padikkal, who had earlier smashed a six off his over to reach his maiden Test half-century. India made significant progress from their overnight score, thanks to centuries from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. However, just after lunch, both set batsmen fell unexpectedly.
Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal then displayed composure, forming a crucial 97-run partnership to prevent a collapse. Despite Sarfaraz’s departure after tea, Padikkal continued to score steadily. He reached his fifty in dramatic fashion with a six.
However, Bashir had the last word. Shortly after India reached 400 runs, Bashir deceived Padikkal with sharp turn and extra bounce, resulting in his dismissal. Padikkal, disappointed by missing out on a big innings, walked back to the pavilion.
Despite the lower-order collapse, India maintains a strong position in the match with a lead of over 200 runs. They are currently favored to win the Dharamsala Test and conclude the series triumphantly.
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