From being tottering at 33 for 3 on Day 1 to mammoth 434 runs record victory over ‘Bazball’ infused England, Team India on the back of new sensational opener Yashaswi Jaiswal’s magnificent 214* counter punch and local boy all rounder Ravindra Jadeja‘s all round show inclusive of a century in the 1st innings and a fifer in the second innings, will now travel to Ranchi for the 4th Test leading 2-1 and with an aim to win the test series .
England’s sweeping tendencies came up a cropper on the fourth day of Rajkot Test as they folded for 122 in chase of a mammoth 557 in Rajkot. Ravindra Jadeja doubled up his first-innings century with a five-wicket haul in the fourth to pave the way for India’s biggest Test win by runs – 434 runs.
Before India bamboozled England with the ball through spin, they spent nearly two sessions dazzling the visitors with the bat via Yashaswi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan. On a placid surface, the pair smashed their way to personal milestones while India amassed a lead of 556 before Rohit Sharma decided to declare. Yashaswi Jaiswal’s second double ton in as many matches was the testimonial a batter sent to the English camp that India even without the likes of experienced Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will not bow down before England.
Even though the result looks sweet and mammoth in India’s success all was not good on Day 1 first hour when India after winning the toss decided to bat on the placid Rajkot surface having squared the series 1-1 vs England at Vizag.
Pitch and Toss.
Team India was up against England in the third and critical Test of the five-match series in Rajkot starting Thursday, February 15. The series tantalizingly poised at 1-1 and this could prove to be a make-or-break game for either side. India were without their experienced middle-order lot while England have their batting issues to address and the team whose batters were able to make merry could be in a position to get the result in its favour.
There were a couple of rough patches near the stumps while the rest of the pitch had a nice covering of grass, which suggested that it would remain good for batting throughout with the spinners coming into the game from Day 3 onwards with them expected to dictate the terms on the last two days.
The team winning the toss would want to bat first and try to post a huge first innings score to get ahead of the game early. The effect or the after-effects of Bazball could very well decide the result of this game, similar to how England dominated on flat tracks in Pakistan. The pitch this time, however, isn’t as flat as Rajkot always was and by the looks of it, it reminds everyone of pitches in the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Vizag, but more of the series opener.
India won the toss and skipper Rohit Sharma chose to bat on this wicket without hesitancy. In absence of KL Rahul who was reportedly injured , India handed debutant caps to two players Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel who got selected in place of KS Bharat which made the Indian middle order look slightly inexperienced. India also bought in Mohammad Siraj for Mukesh Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja the local boy took his place back instead of Axar Patel
On the other hand Team England who already announced their playing 11 on the previous day decided to go with Mark Wood instead of Shoaib Bashir with Joe Root being their 3rd spinner.
Day 1 : Tons from Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja lift India despite stutters at start.
Post Day 1 on a flat batting pitch, India pressed hard through tons from Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja but England managed to keep them in check with regular strikes.
India had started the day on the backfoot, even after winning the toss, with Mark Wood getting both Yashaswi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill to nick behind in quick succession. India’s woes were tripled when Rajat Patidar chipped a catch to short cover in Tom Hartley’s first over of the match.
After being reduced to 33/3, India could have dropped further down with the pressure beginning to show at the other end. A watchful Rohit Sharma began to chance his arm after spending time on the pitch. This also resulted in a chance but Joe Root missed a sharp one at slip when Rohit, on 27, was trying to take on Hartley. He also survived another nervous moment when he was adjudged LBW against James Anderson but had it overturned on review where an inside edge was spotted.
Rohit continued to take some calculated chances, and lofted Hartley for a boundary and even danced down to Anderson to barely clear mid on. That bit of luck also led to him cashing in on other boundary opportunities that came his way as he got to his 17th Test fifty.
Ravindra Jadeja, who earned a promotion at No. 5, brought in a left-right combination to the crease and it proved fruitful as the two most experienced batters in this Indian line-up stitched together an assured stand. England tried hard to break through with some reverse swing on offer as well. However, the duo began to find their rhythm with loose balls coming their way at regular intervals from the spinners.
They saw through the second session unbeaten, giving India some much-needed stability. The third session began with a lot of promise for India as the duo pressed on the accelerator with Rohit getting to his 11th Test ton as well.
But just as the partnership threatened to push England out, they struck with Rohit falling to the short-ball trap and mistiming a pull off Wood to midwicket for a magnificent innings of 131 runs . As England sensed an opening with two debutants slotted to follow, their hopes were dashed with Sarfaraz Khan hitting a sprightly fifty.
The debutant was aggressive against the spinners in particular, sweeping and lofting with confidence. He scored 62 in a 77-run stand with Jadeja, with the latter nearing a hundred. The milestone played a part in Sarfaraz’s dismissal with Jadeja calling for a quick single but then sending his partner back late. Wood, from mid on, did not miss the direct hit and left the Indian camp frustrated even as Jadeja brought up his ton a ball later. By the end of the day night watchman Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja (110*) had carried India to safety at 326 for 5.
Day 2 : Ben Duckett’s breezy 133* flips momentum in England’s favour.
Day 2 started well with the ball as England were able to maintain control with regular strikes and forced India to be in a rebuilding mode almost right through the innings. James Anderson who struck with a still-fresh new ball, getting it to shape away from Kuldeep Yadav the nightwatchman and having him nick behind.
The centurion, Ravindra Jadeja, followed suit in the next over when he tried to force Joe Root straight down the ground but ended up presenting a simple return catch to the bowler on 112 . Having lost 5/2 in the morning session and slipping to 331/7, India were in danger of being bowled out for a below-par total on a flat pitch.
That worry was negated through a steadfast stand between debutant Dhruv Jurel and R Ashwin who both showed the patience to bat sensibly as the situation demanded. There were boundary opportunities coming their way once in a while with the track still not holding any demons, and it helped the duo push India along steadily.
Jurel was adventurous early on against an aggressive Mark Wood, even upper-cutting him once over the slip cordon but largely played according to the quality of the delivery. He was defiant against a leg side trap set by Wood, while Ashwin played along to a similar tune of being cautiously solid.
The duo put on a 77-run stand that carried India beyond 400. But just as they were set to push the total further, Ashwin fell against the run of play, hitting Rehan Ahmed to mid on. Jurel followed suit edging a cut as India stuttered once more. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj added a 30-run stand to push the total close to 450 before Wood wrapped it up to finish with a four-wicket haul before Duckett made his mark
After restricting India for 445, England blazed away in reply on the back of Ben Duckett’s fantastic ton that saw them wipe away nearly half of India’s total in quick time.
Duckett, along with Zak Crawley, put on a sixth-fifty plus stand in seven innings in the series as they started their reply on a positive note. India found little off the surface to produce any challenges.
Duckett, in particular, was severe against the spinners and Kuldeep Yadav whom he managed to put away with regular sweeps across the onside. His opening partner remained relatively circumspect but played his role well until he mistimed a sweep off the rough, and became R Ashwin’s 500th Test victim. Ashwin now had become the second Indian spin bowler behind legendary Anil Kumble (619) to take 500 or more test wickets in just 98 tests making him second quickest to reach the landmark.
That however did not deter Duckett who kept finding the boundaries with relative ease and brought up his 3rd Test ton, off just 88 balls. It became the quickest-ever by an England batter in a Test against India.
Against the run of play, India found a breakthrough as Mohammad Siraj trapped Ollie Pope LBW on review but India were without luck otherwise losing two more reviews against Duckett as he motored along unbeaten till Stumps on the second day. It capped of a good day overall for England, who had started off well. India ended the day capturing only 2 English wickets as England batters especially Ben Duckett infused Bazball on India who on Day 3 will think to bundle out England and take a substantial lead in the first innings.
Day 3 : Yashaswi Jaiswal’s sparkling century gave India advantage before Mohammad Siraj’s 4-fer bundles out England .
Day 3 began with a news that star Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin had to leave the test match for his hometown citing family emergency which means India had to face rampaging England with a 4 man bowling attack starting Day 3.
The day began with Jasprit Bumrah bagging Joe Root’s wicket for the ninth time in Tests with the batter’s attempted reverse-scoop nestling in the hands of Yashaswi Jaiswal at second slip. Kuldeep then had one turning in sharply to trap Jonny Bairstow LBW plumb in front.
He had one more when Duckett, against the run of play, hit a long hop straight to short cover to bring down the curtains on a monumental innings.
That wicket forced England to be cautious for a while with Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes being circumspect before taking calculated risks. The duo stayed put with a watchful stand as England chipped away at the deficit. Early in the second session, however, Stokes tried to take on Ravindra Jadeja and ended up holing out to long on. It turned out to be a double strike as Foakes chipped the next one, from Siraj, to mid on.
The lower order slipped up quickly thereafter with Siraj yorking both Rehan Ahmed and James Anderson while Tom Hartley was out stumped against Jadeja, giving India a useful lead of 126 runs first innings lead with some inspired bowling. Despite the absence of R Ashwin, India’s four-man attack was lively on the third day, producing chances as the track started taking some turn. Kuldeep Yadav, in particular, proved to be a constant threat getting two wickets for his efforts in the morning session. Mohammad Siraj took a 4-fer .
A scintillating ton from Yashaswi Jaiswal backed up India’s bowlers’ good show on the third day as the hosts got into a strong position. Jaiswal found an able ally in Shubman Gill with whom he put on a 158-run stand before he was forced to retire hurt due to back spasms. The duo had joined hands when Rohit Sharma was out LBW with India on 30 in the second innings. Just as England were beginning to dream about a comeback, the hopes were snuffed out by a clinical partnership.
Gill began his innings on a fluent note but proceeded to rein himself in when England bowled to their fields, and complemented his equally circumspect partner. Jaiswal saw through 73 balls for his 35 but suddenly decided to unleash himself, carting the veteran James Anderson for boundaries and kickstarting a period of dominance.
He swept, lofted and reverse-swept the spinners constantly and raced away to a hundred of just 122 balls. His second ton of the series, and third overall in Tests, elicited a big leap in celebration. But that in turn proved to damage his back as he was forced to retire hurt after a stroke-filled 104.
As Jaiswal went hammer and tongs, Gill quietly played a mature hand in racking up his second fifty-plus score of the series as India’s lead swelled past 300. But they fumbled towards the end of the day with Jaiswal having to retire hurt and Rajat Patidar getting dismissed to a long hop for the second time in the Test.
It threatened to derail the good work done by them earlier in the day where they had managed to prize out a 126-run first innings lead with some inspired bowling.
Day 4 : Yashaswi Jaiswal’s epic 214* and Ravindra Jadeja’s 5-fer stars in India’s mammoth 434 runs victory over England .
Yashaswi Jaiswal scored a sparkling double century, and Ravindra Jadeja finished with 5/41 as India steamrolled England by 434 runs – their biggest ever in history to win the Rajkot Test in four days. Having to chase 557, England were bowled out for 122 their sixth-lowest Test total against India with Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav running through their batting order.
Jaiswal set the tone for India’s second-innings total of 430/4 declared with a consecutive Test double. Forced to retire hurt on 104 on Saturday, Jaiswal walked out today at the fall of Shubman Gill’s wicket after he was run out for 91. And by the time Jaiswal and the Indian innings finished, the only question on everyone’s mind was: “Retired hurt, who?” That’s how good Jaiswal was.
He went on a rampage, inflicting carnage during a quickfire 172-run partnership with Sarfaraz Khan, who scored his 2nd fifty of the match. The debutant went on a hitting spree himself, finishing unbeaten on 68 off 72 balls with six fours and three sixes, but the day obviously belonged to Jaiswal, who remained not out on 214 off 236 balls.
On the way to a stunning double century, Jaiswal equalled the record for the most sixes in an innings in Tests with Wasim Akram with 12. Jaiswal also became only the third batter after Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli to score double tons in two successive Tests.
Their collective beating of England was enough to set the visitors a monumental target, in pursuit of which they crashed and burned. From the moment, Ben Duckett, their centurion in the last innings, was run out, the writing was on the wall. Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow were all over the place, while Zak Crawley continued to struggle against Jasprit Bumrah. At 28/4, England sensed a semblance of hope when Ben Stokes and Joe Root tried to resist but all it did was delay the inevitable.
In pursuit of a formidable target, England encountered a staggering collapse, with only two of their top six batters – Zak Crawley (7) and Stokes (15) – managing to reach double figures. India asserted dominance over the English team right from the start, with England adopting an unusually cautious approach at the beginning of their innings.
England’s opening pair of Crawley and Duckett, known for their confident and aggressive strokeplay, opted for a defensive approach, playing out two successive maiden overs before registering their first runs in the third. However, disaster struck England when an exceptional athletic display by Dhruv Jurel led to the run-out of Duckett. This wicket sparked a collapse for the visitors, with Crawley falling soon after to a brilliant delivery from Bumrah just before tea.
Subsequently, the pitch became a spinners’ spectacle as the duo of Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja wreaked havoc on the English batting lineup. Pope was the first to depart, falling victim to a sharply turning delivery from Jadeja. Bairstow, who had endured a duck in the previous innings, faced a similar fate as he was sent packing soon after.
England’s mainstay, Root, who had faced considerable criticism for his dismissals in the Test series, on this occasion, attempted to anchor the innings alongside Stokes. However, a close LBW decision favored India, with the review showing the ball clipping the stumps. Stokes also fell to an LBW, this time against Kuldeep Yadav. The DRS confirmed that the ball would hit the leg-stump, costing England a review in their innings (Root’s review was deemed umpire’s call).
Tom Hartley and Mark Wood went out with a swing, especially the latter as he struck a few entertaining boundaries, but in the end, it was only a matter of time. It took India less than 40 overs to knock over England and storm to a 2-1 lead in a 5 match test series romping home by mammoth 434 runs.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Loosing skipper Ben Stokes the England captain said : Ben Duckett played an unbelievable innings. That was the tone we wanted to set throughout the innings. It was about identifying that opportunity and getting as close to India’s total. We wanted to bowl yesterday but it was earlier than when we wanted. Sometimes gameplans don’t work and that was the case.
Everyone’s got a perception and opinion about things, the people in the dressing room is what matters to us. 1-2 down in the series and a great opportunity for us to come back and win the series. We leave this game behind and we know we have to win the next 2 games to win the series and that’s what we’ll look to do.
Winning skipper Rohit Sharma said : [on his message after day 2] When you are playing Test cricket, it is not played over 2-3 days. We do understand the importance of playing over 5 days. They played well and put us under pressure. We have got class in our bowling, the message was to stay calm and I’m really proud of how we came back the next day. When those things happen, it’s a delight.
[on Jadeja at 5] For this game, we thought he has got so much experience and has got a lot of runs as well, we wanted that left-right combo, Sarfaraz with the quality he has got, we wanted him to have time. We saw what he can do with the bat. [on the batting order] It’s not a long-term view, we go with the flow and what we feel on that particular day, looking at the opposition, the bowling attack. We calculate everything and then go with the flow.
Lots of turning points, was a good toss to win, we know how important in India it is to win the toss, the way we came back and bowled after that onslaught. The bowlers showed a lot of character, not to forget we did not have our most experienced bowler as well. With the bat we knew the job was half-done, those two youngsters got us the lead we wanted and obviously Jadeja with the ball in the 2nd innings was superb.
[on Jaiswal] I have spoken a lot about him, in Vizag as well, people outside the changeroom have spoken as well. I don’t want to talk too much about him, he has started his career on a high, I want him to continue doing well, yeah looks a good player.
Ravindra Jadeja won the player of the match for 112 runs and 7 wickets on his home ground said : I was just looking to build partnerships with Rohit, we were in a difficult situation, look to back my strengths, play my shots, not try and be more conscious.
Watch the ball and play the ball. I know about this wicket, if we bat first, it is always good to bat on, in the second half it starts spinning, when Rohit won the toss, we were thinking: this is all what we wanted, bat first, bowl second. On this wicket you won’t get easy wickets, you have to work hard for it. You need to throw balls in good areas, you have to earn your wickets.
India needed such a day. Just to send the message out to those who had started believing they could be taken down at home. A team in transition, India have lost three Tests in a little over three years, two more than they did in the preceding eight years, but in Rajkot they delivered an emphatic shellacking to their latest challengers: the 434-run win was India’s biggest by runs, and England’s second-biggest defeat.
On a spring day, with not a cloud in sight, in front of a big crowd, the Indian batting took apart the visiting bowlers to set an impossible target, before the home bowlers turned the same pitch into a minefield. Along the way, the batters broke a handful of records while threatening to break even more. It was a first showing of such dominance for this new set of batters. And it gave India the series lead, 2-1 and will go to Ranchi for the 4th test on 23rd February with an aim to seal the series in that test only.
On the other hand England , with backs to the wall needs to go through serious brainstorming regarding their approach for the red ball cricket over the next few days as they now face a danger of yet another series loss in India and the win at Ranchi is their only chance to make a comeback in their dream of winning a test series in India since 2012.