RAJKOT: Galvanised by the crisis triggered by R Ashwin’s sudden pullout from the match due to his mother’s medical condition, India staged a comeback for the ages on Day 3 to take firm command of the third Test against a rattled England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
When play began, the odds were stacked heavily against the hosts. Buoyed by Ben Duckett’s hundred (153; 151b, 23x4, 2x6), England had galloped to 207/2 in reply to India’s 445. Ashwin’s absence had only made things worse. However, the same ‘Bazball’ approach that has won England 14 Tests under
Ben Stokes
captaincy in the last two years came back to bite them as Joe Root (18), currently enduring a poor run of form, reverse scooped
Jasprit Bumrah
to
Yashasvi Jaiswal
at second slip.
The misfired shot, which will add fuel to the critics who are demanding that at least Root bid goodbye to ‘Bazball’, triggered a collapse that saw the visitors lose eight wickets for 95 runs to be bowled out for 319.
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India’s lead of 126 in the afternoon suddenly swelled to 322 by the evening as Yashasvi Jaiswal, enjoying some sublime form, cruised to his third Test hundred (104; 133b, 9x4, 5x6) in just his seventh Test, while Shubman Gill made amends for his first innings duck with an unbeaten halfcentury (65 n.o., 120b, 6x4, 2x6).
The talented duo had put on 155 in 195 balls before Jaiswal had to retire hurt due to cramps in his lower back. The Mumbaikar took his time to get in, taking 73 balls for his first 35 runs, but then changed gears when he smashed James Anderson for a 6, 4, 4 in the 27th over. He also hit
Tom Hartley
for consecutive sixes in the next over.
Crashing Mark Wood for a four to the covers for a four, the dashing left-hander reached his century off just 122 balls, and celebrated it with jump and punch in the air, followed by taking off his helmet and blowing kisses at the Indian dressing room, where a smiling skipper
Rohit Sharma
was applauding. Exploding late in the day with his ferocious drives, cuts and pulls, the opener from Mumbai had given England a taste of their own medicine.
The gallant fightback by their bowlers and Jaiswal’s blazing century have put India in a position from which they can fancy taking a 2-1 lead from here into Ranchi for the fourth Test.
In the morning, bouncing back brilliantly after being caned by Duckett the previous day, Chinaman bowler
Kuldeep Yadav
bowled arguably the best Test match spell of his life, getting Duckett caught at extra cover and the out-of-form Jonny Bairstow plumb lbw with a leg-spinner.
After taking Root’s key wicket, Bumrah came to the party again, running behind quickly to pouch a welljudged catch at deep mid-wicket, after England captain Ben Stokes (41, 89b, 6x4) slog-swept
Ravindra Jadeja
, who was brought on late, but chipped in with 2-51. Coming back after being ‘rested’ for the second Test, pacer Mohammed Siraj proved his worth, taking four for 84, his best Test match figures in India so far.
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