Fourth day – India Vs England – First test at Chennai
Indian innings contained three half centuries – CA Pujara {73}, RR Pant {91} and W Sundar {85*} – to provide the 25th occasion of three Indian batsmen scoring half centuries against England. It also provides the 14th occasion of three Indian batsmen scoring half centuries against England in India and the fourth such occasion against England at Chepauk. The four occasions are – in Feb 1993, in Dec 2008, in Dec 2016 and now in Feb 2021.
MJ Leach returned with figures of 2 for 105 to provide the 94th occasion of an England bowler conceding 100 plus runs against India. It also provides the 53rd occasion of an England bowler conceding 100 plus runs against India in India and provides the 15th such occasion at Chennai.
England lost its first wicket without a run on the board in its second innings to provide the tenth occasion of England losing its first wicket without a run on the board against India. All such occasions are tabulated below
| No | W/R | I | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | 1/0 | 4 | Ind | Kolkata | 05 Jan 1934 |
| 2 | 1/0 | 4 | Ind | Lord’s | 27 Jun 1936 |
| 3 | 1/0 | 2 | Ind | Mum-BS | 06 Feb 1973 |
| 4 | 1/0 | 4 | Ind | Bengaluru | 28 Jan 1977 |
| 5 | 1/0 | 1 | Ind | Birmingham | 03 Jul 1986 |
| 6 | 2/0 | 1 | Ind | Birmingham | 03 Jul 1986 |
| 7 | 1/0 | 1 | Ind | Lord’s | 20 Jun 1996 |
| 8 | 1/0 | 1 | Ind | Lord’s | 25 Jul 2002 |
| 9 | 1/0 | 2 | Ind | Mohali | 19 Dec 2008 |
| 10 | 1/0 | 3 | Ind | Chennai | 05 Feb 2021 |
It also provides the fifth occasion of England losing its first wicket without a run on the board in the second innings against India in India. All such occasions are tabulated below. It also provides the first such occasion at Chennai.
| No | W/R | I | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | 1/0 | 4 | Ind | Kolkata | 05 Jan 1934 |
| 2 | 1/0 | 2 | Ind | Mum-BS | 06 Feb 1973 |
| 3 | 1/0 | 4 | Ind | Bengaluru | 28 Jan 1977 |
| 4 | 1/0 | 2 | Ind | Mohali | 19 Dec 2008 |
| 5 | 1/0 | 3 | Ind | Chennai | 05 Feb 2021 |
R Ashwin has taken 120 wickets so far while sharing the new ball as a spinner. He has taken most wickets in this role.
India’s new ball attack in England’s second innings was shared by two spinners – R Ashwin and S Nadeem – to provide the 65th occasion of two spinners sharing the new ball in a test innings in the annals of test cricket. It also provides the 16th occasion of two Indian spinners sharing the new ball in a test innings.
It also provides the 18th occasion of two spinners sharing the new ball in a test innings against England. It also provides the sixth occasion of two Indian spinners sharing the new ball in a test innings against England. It is interesting to note that all the six occasions have been on home soil and also the first such occasion at Chennai
I Sharma captured his 300th wicket when he had DW Lawrence leg before wicket for 18 in England’s second innings. He became the 35th bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture 300 wickets. He also became the 26th pace bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture 300 wickets.
He also became the sixth Indian bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture 300 wickets. Others are – A Kumble {619}, Kapil Dev {434}, Harbhajan Singh {417}, R Ashwin {377} and Z Khan {311}. He also became the third Indian pace bowler in the annals of test cricket to capture 300 wickets after Kapil Dev and Z Khan. Kapil Dev and Z Khan have captured 434 and 311 wickets respectively.
RJ Burns collected the first ball duck in this game to provide the 41st occasion of an England opening batsman collecting the first ball duck. It also provides the 31st occasion of an England opening batsman collecting the first ball duck on away soil.
RJ Burns collected the first ball duck in this game to provide the third occasion of an England opening batsman collecting the first ball duck against India and also provides the third occasion of an England opening batsman collecting the first ball duck on away soil against India. Others are – AR Lewis at Mum-BS in Feb 1973 and AJ Strauss at Mohali in Dec 2008.
This test was R Ashwin’s 75th test. He became the 20th Indian cricketer to appear in 75 plus tests and joined the Wisden Almanac’s list of cricketers who have played 75 plus tests.
R Ashwin captured six for 61 in England’s second innings to provide the 13th occasion of his capturing five or more wickets in an innings when he has opened the bowling as a spinner. All such occasions are tabulated below
| No | Wkts | Pos | I | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | 6-047 | 2 | 3 | Win | Delhi | 06 Nov 2011 |
| 2 | 5-095 | 1 | 3 | Aus | Chennai | 22 Feb 2013 |
| 3 | 5-063 | 2 | 3 | Aus | Hyd-RGS | 02 Mar 2013 |
| 4 | 5-087 | 2 | 2 | Ban | Fatullah | 10 Jun 2015 |
| 5 | 5-042 | 1 | 4 | Srl | Col-PSS | 20 Aug 2015 |
| 6 | 5-051 | 1 | 2 | SAF | Mohali | 05 Nov 2015 |
| 7 | 5-032 | 2 | 2 | SAF | Nagpur | 25 Nov 2015 |
| 8 | 7-066 | 2 | 4 | SAG | Nagpur | 25 Nov 2015 |
| 9 | 5-061 | 2 | 4 | SAF | Delhi | 03 Dec 2015 |
| 10 | 6-132 | 2 | 4 | NZl | Kanpur | 22 Sep 2016 |
| 11 | 6-041 | 2 | 4 | Aus | Bengaluru | 04 Mar 2017 |
| 12 | 5-069 | 2 | 2 | Srl | Col-SSC | 03 Aug 2017 |
| 13 | 6-061 | 1 | 3 | Eng | Chennai | 05 Feb 2021 |
His 13 five wickets haul is a record for a spin bowler who has shared the new ball. HMRKB Herath of Sri Lanka has eleven five wicket hauls to his credit. R Ashwin and HMRKB Herath are the only two bowlers who have captured five or more wickets in an innings when a spin bowler shared the new ball in the annals of test cricket
R Ashwin had an aggregate of 42 wickets against England in India prior to the start of the first Test against England at Chennai against England. He required eight more wickets for his 50 wickets. He captured nine wickets in this test which fetched him an aggregate of 51 wickets. He became the fourth Indian bowler to capture 50 plus test wickets against England in India. Others are – BS Chandrasekhar {64}, A Kumble {56} and BS Bedi {50}.
R Ashwin’s 6 for 61 in England’s second innings provides the 28th occasion of his capturing five wicket haul of his test career. A Kumble owns the record of most five wicket hauls by an Indian bowler with 35 five wicket hauls to his credit.
It also provides the 22nd occasion of his capturing five wicket haul of his test career on home soil. A Kumble owns the record of most five wicket hauls by an Indian bowler with 25 five wicket hauls on home soil to his credit.
R Ashwin’s nine wicket haul in this test fetched him 263 wickets on home soil. He now stands third in the list of Indian bowlers who have captured most wickets on home soil. Anil Kumble with 350 wickets and Harbhajan Singh with 265 wickets occupy the first two places.
R Ashwin returned with figures of nine for 207 in this test to provide the tenth occasion of his capturing nine or more wickets in a test. All such occasions are tabulated below
| No | W-Runs | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | 13-140 | NZl | Indore | 08 Oct 2016 |
| 2 | 12-085 | NZl | Hyd-RGS | 23 Aug 2012 |
| 3 | 12-098 | SAF | Nagpur | 25 Nov 2015 |
| 4 | 12-167 | Eng | Mumbai | 08 Dec 2016 |
| 5 | 12-198 | Aus | Chennai | 22 Feb 2013 |
| 6 | 10-160 | Srl | Galle | 12 Aug 2015 |
| 7 | 10-225 | NZl | Kanpur | 22 Sep 2016 |
| 8 | 09-128 | Win | Delhi | 06 Nov 2011 |
| 9 | 09-190 | Win | Mumbai | 22 Nov 2011 |
| 10 | 09-207 | Eng | Chennai | 05 Feb 2021 |
It also provides R Ashwin’s second nine plus wicket haul in a match against England, the first being his 12 for 167 at Mumbai in Dec 2016.
| No | W-R | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | 12-167 | Eng | Mumbai | 08 Dec 2016 |
| 2 | 09-207 | Eng | Chennai | 05 Feb 2021 |
It also provides R Ashwin’s second nine plus wicket haul in a match at Chennai the first being his 12 for 198 against Australia in Feb 2013.
| No | W-R | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | 12-198 | Aus | Chennai | 22 Feb 2013 |
| 2 | 09-207 | Eng | Chennai | 05 Feb 2021 |