Jasprit Bumrah

England are battling to avoid a three-day defeat in Dharamsala as Ravichandran Ashwin caused havoc among the top-order after James Anderson became the first fast bowler to record 700 Test wickets.

Anderson joined former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and the late Australia leg-break bowler Shane Warne in the 700 club by dismissing Kuldeep Yadav on the third morning of the fifth Test.

India were all out for 477 and a lead of 259 before Ashwin ran amok on his 100th Test, bagging both England openers, Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes as the tourists ended the session on 103 for five.

Jonny Bairstow briefly rallied on his 100th Test with three big sixes off Ashwin but there was to be no memorable end to the series for the Yorkshireman as he was dismissed before lunch for 39 off 31 balls.

A 4-1 series defeat now appears all but inevitable and England’s hopes of not losing by an innings rest on Joe Root, who is on 34 not out after Stokes was castled by Ashwin with the last ball of the session.

After a chastening past couple of days, England broke out in smiles when Anderson kissed the outside edge of Kuldeep on the way through to Ben Foakes for 30. The evergreen 41-year-old soaked in the congratulations of his team-mates before raising the ball in a typically low-key celebration.

Shoaib Bashir had his five-for as India added just four runs to their overnight score, with the young off-spinner bagging Jasprit Bumrah for 20 to finish with five for 173. Anderson and Bashir each deferred to the other to lead England off the field before walking off together.

It was not long before England were in trouble when their innings started, Ashwin making the breakthrough in his first over when Ben Duckett uncharacteristically charged down the wicket and toe-ended the ball on to his off stump.

Zak Crawley made a 16-ball duck, dismissed after turning Ashwin to backward short-leg while Pope was sketchy again, making 19 before premeditating a sweep which ballooned off the top edge to Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Bairstow was purposeful and muscled three sixes in the space of seven Ashwin deliveries but was lbw when Kuldeep found sharp turn off the pitch. A review failed to save him as HawkEye showed the ball brushing the top of the stumps.

Despite bagging a wicket with his first ball yesterday, Stokes’ troubles with the bat continued as he was dismissed for a 13th time by Ashwin on the stroke of lunch, bowled through the gate by one that skidded on.

Faced with the unenviable task of overturning a 190-run first-innings deficit, the tourists reached 172 for five at tea, with Ollie Pope unbeaten on 67.

Bumrah took the lead with a magical spell of pace bowling on a pitch that has largely rendered the seamers as an afterthought, removing the fluent Ben Duckett and key man Joe Root.

Pairing speed through the air with devilish reverse swing he sent Duckett’s off-stump flying for 47 and then trapped Root lbw for just two to reassert India’s strong position.

England had enjoyed a positive start to the day, taking three quick wickets in the morning session to bowl India out before reaching a promising 113 for one at a lively scoring rate.

Bumrah’s classy intervention knocked the stuffing from their burgeoning counter-attack and when captain Ben Stokes was beautifully bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin late in the afternoon session the net closed further still.

Play began with India on 421 for seven, adding another 15 before losing their remaining wickets without scoring.

Root snapped up two in two balls, Ravindra Jadeja lbw for 87 and Bumrah castled for a golden duck. Rehan Ahmed provided the finishing touch, zipping one low through Axar Patel and ushering the game along to its decisive moment.

Zak Crawley and Duckett made a typically positive start, zoning out the precarious match situation to clear 45 from the deficit despite considerable scoreboard pressure.

After a couple of polite new-ball overs from Bumrah it was spin at both ends and the initial signs were good.

Crawley sent a couple of reverse sweeps to the boundary boards before trying something even more expansive, moving his feet to the pitch and lifting Patel for six down the ground.

He hurried along to 31 in 33 balls but his fun was shut down in the 10th over, Ashwin clipping the outside edge with a precise delivery that nestled in Rohit Sharma’s hands.

Pope started sketchily, busy but uncertain in his movements, while Duckett was poised. Trusting his arsenal of sweeps and reverses he guided the score to 89 for one at lunch, with the hosts’ lead just into three figures.

England continued chipping away until Bumrah returned to the fray early in the afternoon. He should have had Duckett lbw for 39 but saw his appeal shrugged away by the on-field umpire and his captain, who declined to call for DRS.

Undeterred he came again, shaping the ball through the air, through the gap that Duckett’s lavish drive left and violently into the off stump.

Root was next to succumb, beaten on the crease after just six balls and trapped in front. He sent the decision upstairs but found no reprieve.

Pope was still making the odd mistake but he rode his luck and continued scoring briskly as he brought up his first half-century in India at nearly a run-a-ball.

England still needed a big partnership and were unable to find one as the spinners found their rhythm.

Jonny Bairstow was bowled for 10 offering no stroke to Jadeja, mis-reading one that skidded on with the arm, and Stokes saw Ashwin clip the top of off with a ball that snaked past his outside edge.

Jasprit Bumrah was set to return to action for India after recovering from a back injury, but his first appearance since September will have to wait.

Home captain Virat Kohli won the toss and chose to bowl, yet early evening rain meant there was no play possible, to the disappointment of a large crowd at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.

Spectators entertained themselves with a mass singalong while waiting for news of pitch inspections, before a final decision was announced shortly before 10pm local time.

The second game in the three-match series is scheduled for Tuesday at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

More wickets have fallen in a single day just four times in the history of Test cricket, with ball dominating bat throughout three breathless sessions that ushered the game towards a rapid conclusion at Newlands.

At stumps South Africa were 62 for three in the second innings, only 36 behind after India had lost their last six wickets for no runs in the space of 11 deliveries. From 153 for four they were rounded up in successive overs by the inspired pairing of Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada without adding to their total.

Dean Elgar, South Africa’s retiring stand-in captain, suffered the ignominy of ending his international batting career with two dismissals on the same day but at least shared that pain with team-mates Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs.

Elgar had won the toss and opted to bat in the morning but saw his decision blow up spectacularly as India skittled the hosts for their lowest Test score in 92 years.

Mohammed Siraj did most of the damage with figures of six for 15, with two apiece for Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar, the latter without conceding a run, as the innings subsided in less than 24 overs.

India took the lead in just 10 overs after lunch, Rohit Sharma taking the attack to the home seamers with a rapid 39. The tourists were primed to hammer home a big advantage at 105 for two with Shubman Gill (36) and Virat Kohli (46) at the crease, but there was another twist in the tale.

Things took a huge handbrake turn in the 33rd over when Ngidi dismissed KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Bumrah in a triple-wicket maiden.

Unbelievably, three more fell in the next five deliveries at the other end, Rabada taking care of Kohli and Prasidh Krishna either side of Siraj’s run out.

The third innings of the day got under way in the evening session, Kumar picking up two more and Bumrah adding a third as Aiden Markram’s 36 not out offered some belated resistance from the Proteas.

The 28-year-old, who had been named in India's squad for the tournament in Australia starting this month, will be forced to watch from the sidelines in a major blow to the team's prospects.

The decision to withdraw Bumrah was taken after he missed India's T20I series with South Africa and comes "following a detailed assessment and in consultation with the specialists", per a BCCI statement.

The BCCI did not specify the exact nature of his injury, although it is reported to be a back stress fracture.

A replacement will be named imminently, with fellow pace bowlers Mohammed Shami and Deepak Chahar both on the reserve list.

India open their campaign against rivals Pakistan in Melbourne on October 23.

The tourists chased down a fourth innings total of 79 in just 12 overs at Newlands to wrap up the entire game, scheduled to end on Sunday evening, in just 642 balls.

That made it the shortest Test win ever recorded in terms of deliveries bowled, shaving 14 off a record that has stood since 1932, when South Africa were also on the losing side against Australia in Melbourne.

Over the course of little more than four sessions of cricket, a wicket fell less than every 20 balls on average.

The Proteas, who won well in a hard-fought opening Test in Centurion, were dismissed for 55 on the first morning and improved to 176 only because of a solo effort from Aiden Markram, who made a backs-to-the-wall 106.

The opener’s effort was easily the standout knock of a breakneck encounter, as he occupied the crease for 164 minutes and faced 103 balls.

But with no other resistance as Jasprit Bumrah completed a haul of six for 61, it only delayed the inevitable.

India began their pursuit after lunch and wasted no time getting over the line.

They lost three wickets along the way, Yashavi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli all keeping the revolving door to the pavilion moving, but picked up 52 in boundaries as they ensured an unprecedentedly-swift conclusion.

Questions are sure to be asked over the state of the pitch, with the match officials to decide if the freakish brevity of the match was down to batting error or a poor surface.

Bumrah, who needs more time to recover from a back injury he suffered before the T20 World Cup last year, is also set to miss much of India's Test series against Australia, which starts on February 9.

The news of Bumrah's setback was confirmed on Monday, on the eve of Rohit Sharma's team taking on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series.

"It's an unfortunate incident with [Bumrah]," said India captain Rohit.

"The poor guy has been working very hard all this time. Just when he got back to full fitness, he started bowling and everything, the last two days I think this incident happened where he felt a little bit of stiffness in his back.

"It's nothing major, it's just stiffness. But when Bumrah says anything we have to be very cautious about it. I thought it was important for us to make that decision then to just pull him out.

"When we named him [in the squad], he was in the process of getting his workload done. We need to be very careful with him. He had a major injury before the [T20] World Cup. So we just need to be careful."

Jasprit Bumrah (4-56), Ravichandran Ashwin (3-35) and Mohammed Siraj (2-40) helped India bowl Australia out for 195 after the hosts decided to bat first on a warm day at the MCG.

Marnus Labuschagne (48) and Travis Head (38) provided most of the resistance, but India's bowlers were on top throughout in Melbourne.

Bumrah and Ashwin were joined by debutant Siraj in impressing in a perfect start after India's capitulation in the series opener in Adelaide.

Another debutant, Shubman Gill, got to 28 not out at stumps, India – without captain Virat Kohli – getting to 36-1, trailing by 159 runs, at the close of play with Cheteshwar Pujara (7) also unbeaten.

India's bowlers got plenty of movement and spin from the outset despite the beautiful conditions to begin the Boxing Day Test.

Joe Burns' position at the top of the order is set to again come under question after the right-hander was consistently beaten before edging Bumrah behind to Rishabh Pant to fall for a duck.

In contrast, Matthew Wade (30) had looked fluent to begin his innings, but a reckless shot off Ashwin saw him waste his start.

The big wicket of Steve Smith (0) followed, the star – who has dominated at the MCG previously – caught by Pujara at leg gully off Ashwin.

Labuschagne needed a review to survive before lunch as he steadied the innings with an 86-run stand alongside Head, but that was as much resistance as Australia managed.

The impressive Siraj continued to cause problems, removing Cameron Green (12), while Tim Paine fell for 13.

Fresh off bowling India out for their lowest ever score of 36 in the second innings in Adelaide, Australia's pacemen looked capable of doing early damage again.

Mitchell Starc (1-14) trapped Mayank Agarwal lbw for a duck but Gill countered, although he was dropped by Labuschagne off Pat Cummins (0-14) as India were left in a strong position.

India's bowlers flexed their muscles after Australia's top order struggled to limp to 133-6 at stumps on day three – a lead of just two runs on Monday.

Australia lost 28-4 in 27.1 overs following tea to be left reeling in Melbourne, where India head into the fourth day needing just four tail-end wickets to win the second Test and level the four-match series.

Joe Burns' woes continued atop the order as Australia's batting fragility was exposed – Matthew Wade (40) and Marnus Labuschagne (28) the pick of the batsmen on a forgettable day.

India returned to the middle 277-5 and leading by 82 runs after capitalising on Australia's poor fielding display on Sunday.

Ajinkya Rahane's memorable innings came to an end on 112 – run out by Tim Paine after Ravindra Jadeja chased a half-century.

Rahane's 112 is the second-highest score by an India captain against Australia at the MCG, after Sachin Tendulkar's 116 in 1999, per Opta. Meanwhile, it is the fifth-highest by any visiting skipper overall.

Jadeja brought up his fifty before he was dismissed by star Australia paceman Mitchell Starc (3-78) and the hosts quickly cleaned up India for 326 as Nathan Lyon (3-72) and Josh Hazlewood (1-47) sent Umesh Yadav (nine), Ravichandran Ashwin (14) and Jasprit Bumrah (0) packing.

India had eyed a lead beyond 200 but instead claimed a 131-run advantage after surrendering 32-5 in 93 deliveries as their tail failed to wag.

In response, Australia crumbled early, especially Burns (four) – who could have been run out twice and faced an lbw appeal before he was caught behind off Yadav (1-5) in the space of just 10 balls amid growing scrutiny.

Yadav limped off injured and just as Wade and Labuschagne navigated Australia through 14 overs and to 38, Ashwin (1-46) drew an edge from the latter, which brought Smith to the crease and the former skipper was bowled around his legs by Bumrah (1-34) for eight.

Wade dug deep in a 137-ball display but his dismissal by Jadeja (2-25) opened the floodgates as Australia went from 98-3 to 99-6 when Travis Head (17) and Paine (one) – controversially out on review – were sent pack to the pavilion.

Cameron Green (17 not out) and Pat Cummins (15 not out) thwarted India but the pair and Australia face an uphill battle entering the penultimate day.

After their capitulation in Adelaide, India responded in style at the MCG, chasing down a target of 70 relatively comfortably on day four.

Cameron Green (45) and Pat Cummins (22) helped Australia reach 200 as Mohammed Siraj took 3-37 for India.

But that set India just 70 for victory, and Shubman Gill (35 not out) and stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane (unbeaten 27) ensured the tourists levelled the four-Test series at 1-1.

Resuming at 133-6, Green and Cummins managed to frustrate India until the second new ball.

But short balls from Jasprit Bumrah (2-54) and Siraj removed Cummins and Green respectively.

Siraj finished with five wickets on his Test debut. Syed Abid Ali (seven in 1967) is the only Indian man to have taken more having made their career debut in Australia.

Mitchell Starc (14 not out), Nathan Lyon (3) and Josh Hazlewood (10) provided limited resistance.

Bowled out for their lowest ever Test score of 36 in the second innings in Adelaide, there were some signs of nerves for India early in their chase.

Starc (1-20) had Mayank Agarwal (5) caught behind and Cheteshwar Pujara (3) was caught by Green off Cummins (1-22), but Gill and Rahane made sure of the victory.

The third Test is due to start in Sydney on January 7, although there remains uncertainty over where that will be held due to a coronavirus outbreak in New South Wales.

Crawley hurried along to 31 from 33 balls but was first man down when he nicked Ravichandran Ashwin to first slip in the 10th over of England’s second innings.

The tourists took lunch on 89 for one, still 101 behind, with Ben Duckett settling well on 38no.

They started the day by taking the last three Indian wickets for 15 runs as they finished 436 all out in the morning session, Joe Root dismissing Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah with successive deliveries to collect four for 79.

Rehan Ahmed closed the innings when he spun one low through Axar Patel, ushering the game along to a crucial phase as England returned to the crease.

Having been bowled out for 246 inside 65 overs on day one, they knew they would need to do considerably more on a wearing pitch to have a chance of an unlikely success.

Crawley and Duckett made a typically positive start, clearing 45 from the deficit in the face of considerable scoreboard pressure. After two polite overs from Bumrah, it was spin at both ends and the initial signs were good.

Crawley sent a couple of reverse sweeps to the boundary boards before trying something even more expansive, moving his feet to the pitch and lifting Patel for six down the ground. It was a bold beginning but it ended all too quickly, Ashwin clipping the outside edge with a precise delivery that nestled in Rohit Sharma’s hands.

Ollie Pope started sketchily, busy but uncertain in his movements, but Duckett was poised. Trusting his arsenal of sweeps he hit five boundaries as he smothered the turning ball with some style.

Ashwin’s bombshell withdrawal from the Test the previous evening because of a family emergency meant India could only replace their premier spinner with a substitute fielder, depleting their bowling.

But they found their guests in obliging mood as Root’s patented reverse ramp, with which he has had success in the past, off Jasprit Bumrah was brilliantly caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at second slip.

After Jonny Bairstow fell for a record-breaking eighth duck against India, Duckett, who had batted with panache in an incredible counter-attacking 88-ball hundred on day two, toe-ended a Kuldeep Yadav long hop to cover for 153 as England lurched from 224 for two to 290 for five at lunch.

Memories of England burning themselves in last year’s Ashes Test at Lord’s – when several batters were caught hooking despite the absence of injured Australia spinner Nathan Lyon – came flooding back.

Captain Ben Stokes (39 not out) on his 100th Test and Ben Foakes (6no) survived some testing moments but England still trail by 155 runs on a pitch that is offering more assistance to the bowlers.

India used just three bowlers for most of the morning with Ravindra Jadeja, back from a hamstring injury sending down an over before lunch.

Before that, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj dovetailed at one end with Kuldeep operating from the other.

Wickets had fallen early in each of the two previous days but the breakthrough on Saturday owed more to a rash stroke from Root rather than skill from Jasprit Bumrah. The match situation did not require a bold gambit but Root’s attempt to up the ante merely allowed India to get their tails up.

Root’s dismissal for 18 means he has failed to pass 30 in five innings in this series while he has been dismissed nine times in 21 innings by Bumrah.

Root’s dismissal was put into harsher context when Bairstow was plumb lbw after Yadav found sharp turn, with the Yorkshireman burning a review. No other batter in history has made more ducks against India than Bairstow.

Duckett was not as authoritative as the previous evening and gave the slightest of chances on 149, with Rohit Sharma getting a fingertip to an edge, before the left-handed opener moved to 150 off 139 balls.

He added just another three off 12 deliveries, which perhaps contributed to his eyes lighting up when a short and wide delivery was offered by Kuldeep but Duckett horribly miscued.

The world’s number one-ranked Test bowler did not travel with the India squad as the two teams moved from Rajkot to the Jharkhand capital on a charter flight on Tuesday afternoon.

Bumrah has been the only frontline fast bowler from either side to be an ever-present in the series so far and there is just a four-day turnaround between the end of the third Test and start of the fourth.

It was widely reported that Bumrah would miss out in Rajkot after his starring role earlier this month in Visakhapatnam, where a nine-wicket match haul helped India level the series.

Bumrah featured in the third Test but had a more understated role with just one wicket in each innings on a flat pitch as India claimed victory by a record 434-run margin to move 2-1 up with two to play.

Despite being without several regulars in this series, including Virat Kohli because of personal reasons and injuries sidelining Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant, India have opted to rest Bumrah this week where conditions are again unlikely to be in his favour.

Batter KL Rahul will sit out again having missed the third Test with a quad injury.

“Jasprit Bumrah has been released from the squad for the 4th IDFC First Bank Test against England in Ranchi. The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times,” a Board of Control for Cricket in India statement read.

“Meanwhile, KL Rahul is ruled out of the fourth Test. His participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness.

“Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad for the third Test in Rajkot, has joined the squad in Ranchi.”

Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 dismissals at a stunning average of 13.64 and it is thought the more seam-friendly conditions in Dharamshala – the venue for the fifth Test – will be much more to his liking.

England head coach Brendon McCullum anticipates a wicket which will turn as they take a step into the unknown later this week at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

The venue has played host to just two Tests, the most recent in October 2019 where India beat South Africa by an innings and 202 runs, while England’s only previous visit to Ranchi was 11 years ago in an ODI.

Joe Root is the only survivor from that match in the current England squad. The Yorkshireman has struggled with the bat in the past few weeks, yet to reach 30 in six attempts although he has had a more prominent bowling role, sending down 107 overs so far.

Asked if Root could shuffle down the batting order by a place or two to make allowances for his extra workload, McCullum insisted the idea has not been discussed between him and captain Ben Stokes.

“I haven’t thought about it,” McCullum said. “I think Joe wants to be in the game. He’s totally invested in where this team wants to go. You see him on the field: he’s constantly going up to Stokesy.

“He’s incredibly invested. He spent a lot of time with his team-mates working in the nets on stuff as well. He wants a bigger role that he’s obviously offering. Honestly, I think Joe will be absolutely fine.”

The tourists had failed to win a Test in Centurion in their two previous matches, but bowled the Proteas out for 191 to draw first blood in the three-match series.

Jasprit Bumrah (3-50) and Mohammed Shami (3-63) were the picks of the bowlers, with support from Mohammed Siraj (2-47) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-18).

Battling knocks from Dean Elgar (77) and Temba Bavuma (35 not out) were in vain, with India sealing only their fourth Test win in South Africa just after lunch on Friday.

Bumrah got the breakthrough 10 overs into the morning session after the Proteas resumed on 94-4, trapping captain Elgar lbw with a ball that nipped back off the seam.

Quinton de Kock got a start but fell for 21 when he chopped on attempting to cut Siraj.

Bavuma continued to dig in, but India took lunch closing in on victory with South Africa 182-7 after Wiaan Mulder nicked a textbook probing delivery from Shami through to Rishabh Pant.

India only needed two overs of the afternoon session to finish the contest, Shami removing Marco Jansen before Ashwin got rid of Kagiso Rabada and had Lungi Ngidi caught by Cheteshwar Pujara at leg slip first ball.

Bumrah a tormentor on tour

India paceman Bumrah struck a massive early blow by seeing the back of South Africa skipper Elgar.

The dismissal of the gritty opener was Bumrah's 100th overseas in 23 Tests, making him the fastest to reach that landmark for India.

Bumrah produced a brilliant delivery to clean up Rassie van der Dussen on day four before also making a mess of Keshav Maharaj's stumps.

Battling Elgar and Bavuma show Proteas are up for the fight

South Africa have never lost a home Test series against India and although that record is seriously under threat, they have shown plenty of fight this week.

The Proteas have shown their potency with the ball and although they failed to make 200 in both innings, Elgar and Bavuma showed the sort of application that will be required if they are to mount a fightback.

India's relentless attack could not find a way to dismiss Bavuma, who faced 80 balls and batted for over two hours in the second innings, while Elgar led by example in a four-hour knock before falling to Bumrah.

It is understood the world’s number one-ranked Test bowler did not travel with India’s squad as the two teams travelled from Rajkot to the Jharkhand capital on a charter flight on Tuesday afternoon.

While there has been no definitive confirmation Bumrah will miss out, he has been the only frontline fast bowler from either side to be an ever-present in the series so far and there is just a four-day turnaround between the end of the third Test and start of the fourth.

It was widely reported that Bumrah would miss out in Rajkot after his starring role earlier this month in Visakhapatnam, where a nine-wicket match haul helped India level the series.

Bumrah featured in the third Test but had a more understated role with just one wicket in each innings on a flat pitch as India claimed victory by a record 434-run margin to move 2-1 up with two to play.

Despite being without several regulars in this series, including Virat Kohli because of personal reasons and injuries sidelining Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant, it seems India will leave out Bumrah this week where conditions are again unlikely to be in his favour.

Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 dismissals at a stunning average of 13.64 and it is thought the more seam-friendly conditions in Dharamshala – the venue for the fifth Test – will be much more to his liking.

England head coach Brendon McCullum anticipates a wicket which will turn as they take a step into the unknown later this week at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

The venue has played host to just two Tests, the most recent in October 2019 where India beat South Africa by an innings and 202 runs, while England’s only previous visit to Ranchi was 11 years ago in an ODI.

Joe Root is the only survivor from that match in the current England squad. The Yorkshireman has struggled with the bat in the past few weeks, yet to reach 30 in six attempts although he has had a more prominent bowling role, sending down 107 overs so far.

Asked if Root could shuffle down the batting order by a place or two to make allowances for his extra workload, McCullum insisted the idea has not been discussed between him and captain Ben Stokes.

“I haven’t thought about it,” McCullum said. “I think Joe wants to be in the game. He’s totally invested in where this team wants to go. You see him on the field: he’s constantly going up to Stokesy.

“He’s incredibly invested. He spent a lot of time with his team-mates working in the nets on stuff as well. He wants a bigger role that he’s obviously offering. Honestly, I think Joe will be absolutely fine.”

The previous record of 28 runs was obliterated as India grabbed 35 from Broad's shocking set of six, with Bumrah doing most of the damage.

The rout began with a top-edged hook to the boundary for four, before Broad's over descended into chaos as a high wide scurried off to the boundary to give India five free runs, and the next ball, a no-ball, was flung away for six.

Bumrah lashed each of the next three deliveries for four as India reached 28 from the first four permissible deliveries, before the India captain clattered Broad away for a second six of the over.

India had 34 with one ball remaining, and this time Broad sent down a yorker, with Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj scrambling a single.

The onslaught took India from 377-9 to 412-9 on the second morning of the match, with the tourists adding just four more in the next over before James Anderson had Siraj caught by the fed-up Broad.

This fifth Test at Edgbaston is a long-delayed series decider, having been postponed from last September, when it was due to be played at Old Trafford, due to COVID-19 concerns in the India camp.

Anderson and England colleague Joe Root were two of the three players who had previously conceded 28 runs from a Test over, to share the unwanted record with South Africa Robin Peterson.

It offers an ideal precursor for this year's World Cup, hosted by India in October and November, with both nations eager to rip the title off 2019 winners England.

Australia have assembled a strong squad for the tune-up series, where Steve Smith will lead the tourists as skipper, with Pat Cummins remaining at home following the death of his mother last week.

David Warner returns from the fractured elbow that prematurely ended his Test series, while big-hitting all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell are also back following long-term ankle and leg injuries.

They are two of several all-rounders in the squad as Australia search for the best mix for their World Cup side, with Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott and Ashton Agar in contention.

"We've gone in with a structure with eight batters to bat a little bit deeper, we've tried that," said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.

"There'll be a mix of combinations as we lead into the World Cup. A lot of all-rounders [have been] picked in the squad and they can all play in the one team, so we've got to answer a few of those questions."

India captain Rohit Sharma will miss the opening ODI at Wankhede Stadium due to family reasons, with Hardik Pandya to lead the side in his absence, while Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the series with a back injury.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will also be absent due to a long-term back injury.

It is difficult to establish any form lines given the disjointed nature of ODIs, but India have won their last seven matches against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, while the tourists have won nine of their last 10 (L1), including their last six on the bounce, having secured a 3-0 win against England in their last ODI series.

India's imposing home ODI record

India are always a difficult assignment at home, having won their last seven home multi-game bilateral ODI series, along with 13 of their last 14.

However, Australia are the side responsible for that one defeat, winning 3-2 in March 2019 in India where Usman Khawaja was Player of the Series.

Warner not a spent force

Warner may be in the twilight of his international career, with speculation about his future in the Test side, but he is not a spent force in white-ball cricket and is targeting this year's 50-over World Cup.

The 36-year-old is one century away from 20 ODI hundreds, with only Ricky Ponting (29) boasting more for Australia. The left-handed opener has scored 50 or more in six of his past eight ODIs against India.

Saturday's match went right to the wire with South Africa requiring 16 runs from the final over, but Hardik Pandya clinched a hat-trick with the late dismissals of David Miller and Kagiso Rabada as the Proteas lost their nerve.

Virat Kohli had earlier smashed 76 runs off 59 balls, comfortably his best score of the tournament, to help India set a daunting target of 177 – the highest ever in a men's T20 World Cup final.

Kohli's innings came to an end in the penultimate over as he swung Rabada's delivery straight to Marco Jansen at long-on, after partner Axar Patel (47) was run out by Quinton de Kock.

That knock proved to be the title clincher, though, as the India bowlers provided able support to their batsmen.

South Africa were reduced to 12-2 within the first three overs as Jasprit Bumrah sent wickets flying with a brilliant outswinger to beat Reeza Hendricks (4) and Arsheep Singh had Aiden Markram (4) caught behind by Rishabh Pant.

If India thought they would be able to defend their total in comfort, however, they were mistaken.

Heinrich Klaasen slammed 52 off 27 balls with support from De Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31), to take them close.

Thirty runs from as many deliveries was the target at one point, but Klaasen nicked Pandya's ball through to Pant in the 17th over and Bumrah followed up by dismissing Jansen for two.

The tail was unable to provide the heroics for South Africa, desperate final-over swings from Miller (21) and Rabada (4) going unrewarded as Pandya finished with an efficient 3-20.

Kohli picks his moment

Kohli has not been on top form throughout this tournament, 37 versus Bangladesh his best score until this point with five of his innings bringing single-digit tallies.

He stepped up when it mattered most, though, becoming just the third player to make a half-century in multiple T20 World Cup finals, having made 77 in India's 2014 loss to Sri Lanka (also Marlon Samuels and Kumar Sangakkara).

After being presented with the Man-of-the-Match award, Kohli suggested he will not play at the next edition of the tournament in 2026. If his T20I career is over, he certainly went out on a high.

Klaasen's historic knock in vain

South Africa ran India close despite being tasked with chasing the best total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final, and that was mostly due to Klaasen's efforts.

He made his half-century in 23 balls, the fastest 50 in a T20 World Cup final. He obliterated the previous record, Mitchell Marsh's 31-ball half-century for Australia in 2021.

Long wait over for India

Most observers would agree India are fitting champions, having marked themselves out as the best team at the tournament during the last few weeks.

It is their first T20 World Cup crown since they won the inaugural edition in 2007, and they have joined England and West Indies as the only teams to triumph more than once (two titles each).

Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, face Chennai Super Kings in Saturday's curtain-raiser, which is a repeat of the 2019 final.

Here, we take a look at the players who should light up the tournament.

VIRAT KOHLI (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

No man has more IPL runs than RCB captain Kohli, whose 5,412 have been accrued at an average of 37.84 across his 117 matches.

Key Stat: India superstar Kohli is the only batsman in the history of T20 internationals to average more than 50 (50.80) among those with a minimum of 20 innings.

MS DHONI (Chennai Super Kings)

He may have retired from international duty, but Chennai skipper Dhoni is not calling time on his IPL career just yet. You feel the 'finisher' will want to end with a flourish.

Key Stat: Dhoni has made the most runs as a captain (4,142) among the eight skippers. Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith is the only man to have a better win percentage (65.5 per cent) than Dhoni's 59.8 per cent too.

JASPRIT BUMRAH (Mumbai Indians)

Player of the match in the 2019 final, it was Bumrah's 2-14 that proved pivotal to Mumbai's success. The seamer has mastered the art of death bowling.

Key stat: No one bowled more balls at the death (overs 17-20) than Bumrah's 172 deliveries in 2019. He had an economy of just 7.7 during that period. 

ANDRE RUSSELL (Kolkata Knight Riders)

West Indian all-rounder Russell is a box office draw for Kolkata Knight Riders having averaged 56.7 with the bat last year.

Key stat: Russell made 510 runs in 2019, of which 85.5 per cent were made from boundaries. That was the biggest percentage for those to have made at least 20 runs.

ROHIT SHARMA (Mumbai Indians)

A record four-time winner of the IPL as Mumbai captain, Rohit made 52 fours last season - the most of his 12-year IPL career.

Key stat: Rohit is 102 runs away from becoming the third batsman to reach 5,000 IPL runs after Kohli and Suresh Raina.

DAVID WARNER (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Last season Warner won the Orange Cap - awarded to the IPL's leading run-scorer - for a record third time after amassing 692 runs, 99 more than anyone else in the tournament.

Key stat: Warner has now accumulated at least 600 runs in three separate campaigns. Chris Gayle (also three) is the only other batsman to have done so more than once.

DEEPAK CHAHAR (Chennai Super Kings)

Chahar had a breakthrough campaign with the Super Kings last year, claiming 22 wickets - a figure only South African duo Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada could better.

Key stat: The seamer bowled 64.3 overs in 2019 and 49 per cent of his deliveries were dot balls - the highest figure among those who bowled at least 10 overs.

KAGISO RABADA (Delhi Capitals)

The Proteas quick made his mark in the IPL last season when he took 25 wickets in the Capitals' run to the semi-finals.

Key stat: Of those who bowled at least 10 overs, Rabada had the best average (14.72) while he and international team-mate Tahir were the only two bowlers to have more than one four-wicket haul.

The five-match series got under way in impressive fashion for India, despite the Black Caps - led by half-centuries from Colin Munro (59), Kane Williamson (51) and Ross Taylor (54 not out) - posting 204-4 in Auckland on Friday.

KL Rahul (56) and Virat Kohli (45) combined for a second-wicket stand of 99 - aided by some gifts in the field -  to do much of the heavy lifting, and the chase was then completed in style by an unbeaten 58 from Iyer with an over to spare.

Paceman Bumrah took 1-31, yet he looked to be in real pain after a fall during New Zealand's final over, requiring treatment and initially appearing to indicate he could not continue.

India's bowling options for the Test series already look to be restricted by an injury to Ishant Sharma, but Bumrah, who has just returned from a back problem, was able to see out the innings.

New Zealand had started with an excellent partnership of 80 between Martin Guptill (30) and Munro, before Williamson sought to lift the rate as the pace slowed.

Williamson's stand with Taylor was particularly effective - 61 off 28 - but the captain offered a simple catch to opposite number Kohli, and Bumrah then came to the fore.

Tim Seifert was swiftly dealt with, yet the final over began with a four from overthrows, before Bumrah rolled his left ankle on the edge of the wicket with the second delivery, eventually lifting himself to at least limit New Zealand to 203-5.

India's unconvincing fielding paled in comparison to their opponents' initial efforts, though.

Rohit Sharma departed for only seven but New Zealand passed up huge opportunities to halt Rahul and Kohli, failing to run out the former with two attempts and then seeing Ish Sodhi drop the captain.

But Tim Southee clung on brilliantly as Rahul belatedly departed in the 10th over, before an even better take from Guptill spelled the end of Kohli's knock.

The boundaries subsequently dried up, threatening to let New Zealand back in, before Iyer took up the mantle, blasting the winning six - his third - with the final ball of the penultimate over.