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Ben Stokes pulled off an incredible run-out while falling to the ground as England chased a jaw-dropping comeback victory on day four of the first Test in Hyderabad.
Ravindra Jadeja tried to pinch a quick single but picked out Stokes rushing in at mid-off. The England captain reached down and launched the ball at the stumps out of the back of his hand, while falling to the ground.
The players, including Stokes, were stunned by the moment and unsure exactly what had happened, until television replays confirmed Jadeja was well short of his ground as the bails fell.
Stokes’ piece of magic left India on 119-6, needing 112 runs to win, and followed an inspired performanced by debutant spinner Tom Hartley, who took out India’s top three as England continued fighting.
Spurred on by a wonderful 196 from Ollie Pope, the tourists posted an unlikely 420 in their second innings to leave a taxing chase of 231 on the table. Hartley, who made 34 in an enterprising stand of 80 with Pope, then came to the fore with his left-arm spin as India slid to 95 for three at tea.
Shelving memories of his chastening first spell in Test cricket on Thursday, he removed his tormentor Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and home captain Rohit Sharma in quick succession. Pope, fresh from his game-changing knock with the bat, was in the thick of things again as he snapped up Jaiswal and Gill with sharp catches under the helmet.
England had started the day on 316 for six, adding 104 before Pope was last man out attempting a scoop shot that he hoped would bring a deserved double century.
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