India pummelled England on Day Four in Chennai to register their highest ever Test score and remove any shred of hope the tourists had of a consolation win in the fifth Test.
A triple century from Karun Nair in just his third Test innings allowed the home side to declare on 759-7 in front of a gleeful MA Chidambaram Stadium and ensure the best England can hope for on the final day is a draw.
Nair became the third player in Test history to make his maiden century a triple, following Bobby Simpson and Garry Sobers. Assistance from Ravichandran Ashwin (67) and Ravindra Jadeja (51) boosted India's total.
In reply, England reached 12-0 at the close, a deficit of 270. Their final day of this Test tour will be all about avoiding defeat.
England were convinced they’d got Murali Vijay caught behind early on as he fended at a Stuart Broad leg cutter outside off stump. Umpire Simon Fry said not out and with no reviews left, England couldn't make the TV pictures that showed a spike on Ultraedge count.
Nair recovered from an early scare as he diverted a Broad delivery for four over first slip off the back of his bat as an attempted leave went wrong. He then smashed Liam Dawson for a big straight six. A maiden Test century in only his third Test innings followed, brought up with a square drive off Ben Stokes. It took 185 balls with eight fours and one six.
England would break through when Dawson collected his first wicket in Test cricket, Murali Vijay missing one that went on with the arm and trapped him in front. Stokes went close to removing Nair twice, once when he garnered some extra bounce from the surface to flick the glove, the ball looping up over Joe Root at slip. Then a leading edge dropped just short of mid off.
Ravi Ashwin nudged India into the lead with a towering six off Moeen Ali and Nair continued to prosper, going to his 150 with three drives through the offside, one off the back foot and two off the front.
Keaton Jennings nearly took a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket, hitting Nair on the back pad right in front. England were four balls away from having their reviews replenished but this one would have been umpire’s call on height anyway.
Later in the over Ashwin went to his 10th Test half century but Jennings continued to trouble the pair, Nair inside edging past the pegs for four, then Ashwin having an LBW decision overturned upon review, the ball shown to be missing leg stump.
The run rate went north after tea, Nair eschewing any KL Rahul-like wobble and completing his double century with a glorious drive through the covers. Ashwin fell to Broad for 67 thanks to a superb one-handed grab from Jos Buttler at gully, diving low to his left.
Joe Root then put a similar chance down at slip with Nair on 218. Ravindra Jadeja smashed Ball for a big six and then a four to square leg as India teed off to set up a declaration.