Kolkata, June 25 -- Three years since that Edgbaston Test, nothing has changed for England. That Tuesday, 378 runs were knocked off in 77 overs. This Tuesday, 373 were brought up in 82 overs. Integral to both wins was Joe Root, his belligerent century dashing India's hopes in 2022, his experience coming through for England here in the form of an assured fifty after Ben Duckett set up the chase with an indomitable hundred while putting on 188 for the opening wicket. Twice now in recent history have India failed to close out a game despite their bowlers getting more than 350 to defend. That only England could have pulled off something like this is beside the point. This defeat must really hurt because of the lack of runs from the lower order, the bowling inadequacy, and most significantly, the dropped catches. England batters' defence was intact for nearly 45 overs. Till two wickets fell in the space of 14 balls. Two more, off consecutive balls from Shardul Thakur, and India were suddenly cock-a-hoop. Their anticipation wasn't unfounded. Without an early wicket, the pitch still playing true and Jasprit Bumrah going wicketless, this was an unusual last day of a Test for India. The initial frustration was particularly palpable as the ball refused to seam despite gloomy conditions as the openers marched on. Till the sun peeked out after lunch. Before that it was basically one-way traffic, Duckett taking a heavy toll of the bowling with Crawley providing vital support. Bumrah was yeomanlike, relentlessly attacking fourth stump lines in short bursts throughout the day. The support act was not all bad too. As early as the 15th over, Prasidh Krishna had got Duckett to edge a length ball but it flew over slip. To Crawley, Mohammed Siraj was getting the wobble seam to cut in before pitching in the ball fuller and seaming away, almost inducing a feather edge. Siraj glared when the batter played and missed, which was often. Last ball of the 36th over, he got an edge off Duckett that flew between Pant and KL Rahul, who stood wide of first slip. But Siraj was in despair when Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped Duckett at deep backward square leg. It may have looked difficult with Jaiswal running in to meet the ball, but these catches are taken at this level. Hard hands, eyes off the ball, Jaiswal could only feel for the catch. It was his fourth drop in this Test, likely the most by an India player. From England's perspective, the milestones were coming at a comfortable pace. The openers ensured 71 runs were added through the morning session, with Duckett reaching his sixth Test hundred in just 121 balls. He grew in confidence, particularly against Ravindra Jadeja, who was reverse-slapped twice for boundaries after lunch. Most ridiculous was Duckett's reverse hit six over cover point off Jadeja, underscoring the significance of a failsafe option England have so successfully deployed against spinners through decades. A few heavy drops away from the covers being called, Duckett brought up a brilliant hundred, predictably again off Jadeja. But the game took a turn once the clouds cleared and Prasidh found his length. First to go was Crawley, drawn into a drive against a ball shaping away from him and edging it to Rahul at wide slip. Ollie Pope was then sent back by one that nipped in. When 50 overs were left, England needed another 158 runs. And though India had got a foot in, Duckett was playing on another level. Armed with an intelligent choice of shots hanging back as far as possible in the crease, and backed by a solid defence, he kept finding the boundaries that chipped away at the target. This is where Shardul Thakur made his entry. Thakur bowled full and wide to Duckett, asking to be hit, which he did, but straight to substitute fielder Nitish Reddy at cover. The next ball was going down leg but Harry Brook still managed to feather it, Pant completing a very good catch by diving low to his left. India had more than a foothold but this is where Stokes and Root came together to stitch a crucial stand of 49 runs that pushed England past the psychological mark of 300. Stokes could have been dismissed earlier if there was a first slip, or if Pant had noticed the ball pinging off his glove against Jadeja. Stokes was ultimately dismissed by Jadeja but so gettable was the target by then that it was a matter of keeping their nerves. Trust Root to do that without making a lot of noise, and with some support from Jamie Smith. He survived a good leg-before appeal from Jadeja but from thereon played the ball late and close to his body. Giving Siraj, who had bowled his heart out till then, the second new ball was realistically India's last throw of the dice. And he induced a chance too, getting a thick outside edge off Root. It evaded the outstretched hand of gully to race to the boundary. Root got to his fifty, and England weren't looking back anymore....