Michael Vaughan declares India as ‘CLEAR FAVOURITES’ to win Ranchi Test, citing hosts' dominance

England set a target of 192 runs for India to pursue at the end of the third day of the fourth Test match of the series. England scored 145 in their second innings, thanks to contributions from Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett, and Zak Crawley. Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav led the Indian bowling attack, with Ashwin taking five wickets in the process. With Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the bat, India had 40/0 as play came to an end, needing 152 runs to win on the last day of the test match.

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Michael Vaughan believes India will win the 4th Test in Rachi after a great performance on Day 3

As of right now, India is the overwhelming favourite in the fourth Test of the five-match series being played at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi, according to former England captain Michael Vaughan. India is at 40 for no loss at the end of Day 3, and they need to score 152 more runs to win the fourth Test and maybe win the series with a commanding 3-1 lead. With wins in Rajkot and Vizag, the home team now leads the Test series 2-1.

England grabbed the lead in the Test series with a close 28-run victory against India in Hyderabad. However, the hosts produced a dramatic recovery, winning the third Test by 106 runs in Vizag, followed by a resounding 434-run victory in Rajkot.

After the completion of Day 3, Vaughan aired his thoughts on the Ranchi Test on the social networking site 'X', claiming that India had pushed ahead and established as clear favourites. India's bowlers demonstrated their abilities by limiting England to 145 runs on Day 3, setting a target of 192 runs for the hosts to chase.

During an interview with BBC Sport, Vaughan criticised England's inconsistency, stressing their tendency to have particularly poor performances, but also appreciating India's revival in controlling the contest once more. India's bowlers demonstrated their brilliance by taking 10 wickets in less than two sessions, putting themselves in position for a series-clinching victory in Ranchi. Vaughan said: 

“India have once again found a way of having a dominant day that looks likely to win them this Test and the series. England's bad days are really, really bad - and that looks likely to cost them. Very, very hard on young spinners to get thrown the ball after 54 overs of rest. Mentally as much as physically, it is a lot to then ask them to bowl a team out,”

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India opened the day's play on 219 for 7, with Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav at the crease. Jurel demonstrated his batting skills by scoring his first Test half-century, ably supported by Kuldeep, as India finished their first innings on 307 runs. In response, India's bowlers knocked out England for 145 runs, with Ravichandran Ashwin providing a standout effort to capture his 35th five-wicket haul in Tests and became the top Test wicket-taker on Indian soil in the process.

Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal demonstrated confidence at the bat, scoring 40 runs in only eight overs to cement India's supremacy in Ranchi. As Day 4 approaches, India needs 152 more runs to win and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the five-match Test series over England.