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50 overs England 257 for 7 (Cook 76, Pietersen 76, Root 57*, Jadeja 3-39) v India
Alastair Cook's methodical half-century was in keeping with the conditions © BCCI
It was a cold, wintry morning in Mohali, about 6C at start of play with the fog lifting, just the sort of day for batsmen to abandon lofty ambitions of unfettered strokeplay and dig in. England did just that, and found the late surge to achieve a competitive total, but as the skies reluctantly turned milky blue, India will have sensed a chance to pull off a victory that would secure the series.
MS Dhoni inserted England after winning the toss, but the recognition that it was a fast bowlers' day did not weigh heavily on India's selection. India dropped Ajinkya Rahane, and prepared to cobble together an opening partner for Gautam Gambhir. It gave England hope that their quick bowlers might summon a response.
England rallied with 100 from the last 10 overs, some reward for the resilience shown by Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen at the top of the order. The visitors found energy from Joe Root's maiden ODI half-century, an enterprising 57 not out from 45 balls. Throughout the winter, in all three forms of the game, Root has belied his callow appearance with responses of great maturity.
"We got some towards the end which gives us a chance," he said in a hurried TV interview. A chance, but no better than that. Even that assessment was neatly judged.
India's pace attack was impressive. Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded only 30 runs in a probing 10-over allocation delivered without interruption and Ishant Sharma, revelling in encouraging fast-bowling conditions, was as dangerous as at any time in either Test or one-day series.
Cook's methodical half-century was in keeping with the conditions, but his demise, lbw to Ashwin after making 76 from 106 balls, will have left him in wall-kicking mood. Umpires drawn from outside the elite panel, plus the absence of DRS, equals a greater likelihood of error wherever a game is played. The delivery from Ashwin pitched well outside leg stump, but the finger was raised and Cook's expectations of lasting benefits for all his hard work disappeared in an instant.
There was 76, too, from Kevin Pietersen, 13 balls quicker, but it was a more fretful innings delivered by a batsman anxious for the first shaft of sunlight. He was lit up only briefly, muscling Ishant over midwicket for six, but he got an excellent yorker in response as Ishant ensured that for once his figures were not damaged by bowling at the most pressing times.
As if the morning fog was not enough, a further chill ran through England's bones with the recognition that defeat here would mean a fourth successive ODI series loss in India. They had been outplayed comprehensively in Kochi and and Ranchi after winning the opening clash in Rajkot and another lost toss for Cook, and an invitation to bat first, did not auger well.
Far from being disconsolate at their progress, England would have been grateful not to have lost top-order wickets as they had in the last two games. Five boundaries in eight balls were a godsend. But Ian Bell's dismissal had a sense of anxiety about it, an attempt to charge Ishant and hit him down the ground which produced only a thick edge to third man, a neat catch by Bhuvneshwar and a wicket for Ishant in his second over.
Pietersen had an uncomfortable start. He was struck on the elbow as Ishant cut one back and narrowly escaped an lbw decision in the same over when he just got outside the line, his disorientation evident when he got back into his crease with his hand. He needed 13 balls to get off the mark when he edgily got Bhuvneshwar through square leg; 33 to find the boundary, an authoritative straight drive against Ashwin. Not too often in the past year have England regarded the introduction of spin as a blessed relief but it was certainly the case.
Cook, for all his frustration at his dismissal, had provided a solid layer. England, at 132 for 2 in the 32nd over, still had realistic aspirations about 260, but their cause was not helped when they lost Eoin Morgan and Samit Patel in quick succession.
Morgan has had a poor series in a country in which, with IPL in mind, he was anxious to advance his reputation. He drove Ashwin weakly down the ground and only reached Yuvraj Singh at mid-on. Patel was promoted to No. 5, presumably with the approaching batting Powerplay in mind, but he made a single in 10 balls and then when the Powerplay arrived he chipped a return catch to Ravindra Jadeja.
Patel stalked off the ground cursing his misjudgement. England cursed the departure of another unrewarding Powerplay - 19 runs for the loss of Patel. It would have been worse had Virat Kohli held a low catch to his left at wide first slip when Root, yet to score, pushed tentatively at Ishant.
Root acquitted himself ably. From his slender frame came occasional moments of surprising power, such as when he slog-swept Ashwin over midwicket for six or cheekily reverse-swept Ishant through square leg. He has proved more adaptable this winter than perhaps even he had expected and his cricketing intelligence is one of his greatest assets. Root should have fallen to Jadeja, on 42, a slog-sweep bringing a comical drop by Suresh Raina at midwicket.
Jadeja's left-arm slows have disturbed England throughout the series. The dismissal of Jos Buttler and Tim Bresnan in his final over left him with 3 for 39, figures which will further encourage India that they have discovered a player who can balance their one-day side.
Alastair Cook's methodical half-century was in keeping with the conditions © BCCI
It was a cold, wintry morning in Mohali, about 6C at start of play with the fog lifting, just the sort of day for batsmen to abandon lofty ambitions of unfettered strokeplay and dig in. England did just that, and found the late surge to achieve a competitive total, but as the skies reluctantly turned milky blue, India will have sensed a chance to pull off a victory that would secure the series.
MS Dhoni inserted England after winning the toss, but the recognition that it was a fast bowlers' day did not weigh heavily on India's selection. India dropped Ajinkya Rahane, and prepared to cobble together an opening partner for Gautam Gambhir. It gave England hope that their quick bowlers might summon a response.
England rallied with 100 from the last 10 overs, some reward for the resilience shown by Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen at the top of the order. The visitors found energy from Joe Root's maiden ODI half-century, an enterprising 57 not out from 45 balls. Throughout the winter, in all three forms of the game, Root has belied his callow appearance with responses of great maturity.
"We got some towards the end which gives us a chance," he said in a hurried TV interview. A chance, but no better than that. Even that assessment was neatly judged.
India's pace attack was impressive. Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded only 30 runs in a probing 10-over allocation delivered without interruption and Ishant Sharma, revelling in encouraging fast-bowling conditions, was as dangerous as at any time in either Test or one-day series.
Cook's methodical half-century was in keeping with the conditions, but his demise, lbw to Ashwin after making 76 from 106 balls, will have left him in wall-kicking mood. Umpires drawn from outside the elite panel, plus the absence of DRS, equals a greater likelihood of error wherever a game is played. The delivery from Ashwin pitched well outside leg stump, but the finger was raised and Cook's expectations of lasting benefits for all his hard work disappeared in an instant.
There was 76, too, from Kevin Pietersen, 13 balls quicker, but it was a more fretful innings delivered by a batsman anxious for the first shaft of sunlight. He was lit up only briefly, muscling Ishant over midwicket for six, but he got an excellent yorker in response as Ishant ensured that for once his figures were not damaged by bowling at the most pressing times.
As if the morning fog was not enough, a further chill ran through England's bones with the recognition that defeat here would mean a fourth successive ODI series loss in India. They had been outplayed comprehensively in Kochi and and Ranchi after winning the opening clash in Rajkot and another lost toss for Cook, and an invitation to bat first, did not auger well.
Far from being disconsolate at their progress, England would have been grateful not to have lost top-order wickets as they had in the last two games. Five boundaries in eight balls were a godsend. But Ian Bell's dismissal had a sense of anxiety about it, an attempt to charge Ishant and hit him down the ground which produced only a thick edge to third man, a neat catch by Bhuvneshwar and a wicket for Ishant in his second over.
Pietersen had an uncomfortable start. He was struck on the elbow as Ishant cut one back and narrowly escaped an lbw decision in the same over when he just got outside the line, his disorientation evident when he got back into his crease with his hand. He needed 13 balls to get off the mark when he edgily got Bhuvneshwar through square leg; 33 to find the boundary, an authoritative straight drive against Ashwin. Not too often in the past year have England regarded the introduction of spin as a blessed relief but it was certainly the case.
Cook, for all his frustration at his dismissal, had provided a solid layer. England, at 132 for 2 in the 32nd over, still had realistic aspirations about 260, but their cause was not helped when they lost Eoin Morgan and Samit Patel in quick succession.
Morgan has had a poor series in a country in which, with IPL in mind, he was anxious to advance his reputation. He drove Ashwin weakly down the ground and only reached Yuvraj Singh at mid-on. Patel was promoted to No. 5, presumably with the approaching batting Powerplay in mind, but he made a single in 10 balls and then when the Powerplay arrived he chipped a return catch to Ravindra Jadeja.
Patel stalked off the ground cursing his misjudgement. England cursed the departure of another unrewarding Powerplay - 19 runs for the loss of Patel. It would have been worse had Virat Kohli held a low catch to his left at wide first slip when Root, yet to score, pushed tentatively at Ishant.
Root acquitted himself ably. From his slender frame came occasional moments of surprising power, such as when he slog-swept Ashwin over midwicket for six or cheekily reverse-swept Ishant through square leg. He has proved more adaptable this winter than perhaps even he had expected and his cricketing intelligence is one of his greatest assets. Root should have fallen to Jadeja, on 42, a slog-sweep bringing a comical drop by Suresh Raina at midwicket.
Jadeja's left-arm slows have disturbed England throughout the series. The dismissal of Jos Buttler and Tim Bresnan in his final over left him with 3 for 39, figures which will further encourage India that they have discovered a player who can balance their one-day side.