India's tryst with fourth-innings collapses in 2018

#1 England vs India, Southampton, 2018

England rally around Moeen Ali after he gets Kohli

India's inability of cashing on crucial moments have cost them a plethora of Test matches in the past; it happened again at Southampton. At 5-86, Mohammad Shami has just pinned Ben Stokes in front of the wicket. England, after electing to bat first have been reduced to 6-86 in an hour into the afternoon session. In walked 20-year-old Sam Curran in a seemingly same situation that he'd come out at Edgbaston; that time England was 7-87 and staring down the barrel.

Curran bailed England out at Edgbaston, he did an encore at Southampton. In a low-scoring game, the 20-year-old looked most the assured of English batsmen to take his side from the dumps to a competitive 246 in the first innings.

India in reply, was at 3-140, with Pujara and Kohli set, the Indians looked primed for a series-levelling lead only to squander it to Moeen Ali, who claimed nine wickets in the match. At 8-195, it looked as if England will take the lead but thanks to Pujara's (132) innings of defiance, India managed to nudge past England.

But the opportunity of salvaging a big lead was lost and with India's abysmal record while chasing, it was always going to be catch-up cricket once England swelled their lead past 200.

And India proved that with aplomb yet again with an insipid chase (184) in the final innings. On a track where Ashwin failed to create an impact on the third day, Moeen Ali was relentless and despite Kohli and Rahane's rearguard action, Ali bowled England to a 60-run win to seal the series and end India's dream, again.