<p>While debate continues over the state of the Ahmedabad pitch and whether it is suitable for test cricket, England shot themselves in the foot before a ball was bowled by opting for a pace-heavy attack on a spinners' paradise in the third match against India.</p>.<p>The hosts wrapped up an extraordinary 10-wicket victory inside two days in the day-night contest at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Spinners claimed 28 of the 30 wickets that fell in five sessions in the shortest completed test match since 1935.</p>.<p>Joe Root's decision to welcome back a fit-again Jofra Archer and a rested James Anderson in a four-pronged pace attack, while retaining Jack Leach as their only specialist spinner, backfired spectacularly.</p>.<p>Prior to the match, all-rounder Ben Stokes said England's seamers were "licking their lips" at the prospect of getting the pink ball to swing significantly.</p>.<p>But they were in for a shock as spin trumped swing, with even Root claiming his maiden five-wicket haul with his part-time offspin.</p>.<p>Former England test batsman Geoffrey Boycott was perplexed at the tourists' team selection.</p>.<p>"I would also like to know who had the bright idea of playing three fast bowlers on a turning pitch. They should be embarrassed," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.</p>.<p>"England got sucked into thinking they were playing a pink ball test in Adelaide not Ahmedabad."</p>.<p>For India, left-arm spinner Axar Patel claimed a match haul of 11-70, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin clamed seven en route to surpassing 400 test wickets.</p>.<p>So dominant were India's spinners that they did not turn to their seamers in England's second innings, while third spinner Washington Sundar sent down only four deliveries for a wicket.</p>.<p>"We thought the wicket would hold together better than it did – throughout all the practice days it seamed around, it swung and the seamers looked a threatening option," Root said.</p>.<p>"It's easy in hindsight to select a different team."</p>.<p>England's policy of resting multi-format players also meant they were unable to field their strongest XI. Moeen Ali, who has been rested ahead of the white-ball leg of the tour, would have been an asset with his off-spin and free-scoring ability.</p>.<p>Ahmedabad also hosts the fourth and final test from March 4.</p>
<p>While debate continues over the state of the Ahmedabad pitch and whether it is suitable for test cricket, England shot themselves in the foot before a ball was bowled by opting for a pace-heavy attack on a spinners' paradise in the third match against India.</p>.<p>The hosts wrapped up an extraordinary 10-wicket victory inside two days in the day-night contest at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Spinners claimed 28 of the 30 wickets that fell in five sessions in the shortest completed test match since 1935.</p>.<p>Joe Root's decision to welcome back a fit-again Jofra Archer and a rested James Anderson in a four-pronged pace attack, while retaining Jack Leach as their only specialist spinner, backfired spectacularly.</p>.<p>Prior to the match, all-rounder Ben Stokes said England's seamers were "licking their lips" at the prospect of getting the pink ball to swing significantly.</p>.<p>But they were in for a shock as spin trumped swing, with even Root claiming his maiden five-wicket haul with his part-time offspin.</p>.<p>Former England test batsman Geoffrey Boycott was perplexed at the tourists' team selection.</p>.<p>"I would also like to know who had the bright idea of playing three fast bowlers on a turning pitch. They should be embarrassed," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.</p>.<p>"England got sucked into thinking they were playing a pink ball test in Adelaide not Ahmedabad."</p>.<p>For India, left-arm spinner Axar Patel claimed a match haul of 11-70, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin clamed seven en route to surpassing 400 test wickets.</p>.<p>So dominant were India's spinners that they did not turn to their seamers in England's second innings, while third spinner Washington Sundar sent down only four deliveries for a wicket.</p>.<p>"We thought the wicket would hold together better than it did – throughout all the practice days it seamed around, it swung and the seamers looked a threatening option," Root said.</p>.<p>"It's easy in hindsight to select a different team."</p>.<p>England's policy of resting multi-format players also meant they were unable to field their strongest XI. Moeen Ali, who has been rested ahead of the white-ball leg of the tour, would have been an asset with his off-spin and free-scoring ability.</p>.<p>Ahmedabad also hosts the fourth and final test from March 4.</p>