IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Jaiswal’s sensational ton puts India in a strong position

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s ton and unbeaten Shubman Gill have given India 322 runs lead at the end of day 3 at Rajkot.

Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal played game-changing knocks to put India ahead in Rajkot during the third session, which they controlled. India’s position against England was solidified after Jaiswal and Gill scored more than 150 runs for the second wicket after captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for just 19. As India reached 196/2 at Stumps in Rajkot, Jaiswal scorched 104 off 133 balls, while Gill stayed unbeaten on 65 alongside nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav (3). India’s lead over England grew to 322 runs.

On Day 3, England had a strong first fifteen minutes, but India took over the game after that. In the first session, the visitors lost three significant wickets, and in the second, they crumbled badly. With two wickets at the end, Kuldeep Yadav proved unplayable, and Mohammed Siraj claimed four. After Joe Root was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah in the opening session, Kuldeep grabbed Jonny Bairstow in the very next over. After keeping England under pressure, Kuldeep ultimately dismissed Ben Duckett on 153 off 151. During the first session, Kuldeep was virtually unplayable and England’s run rate was barely over three, which was half of what it was on Day 2.

After making history on Day 2 by capturing his 500th wicket, senior spinner-all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin withdrew from the Test match late on Friday citing a family emergency. India will now have to play the remainder of the series without him. India will have their work cut out for them, as England, although losing three wickets, might have been the happier team at the close of the second day.

India scored 445 runs batting first, but England responded with a powerful effort led by Ben Duckett. England trails India by 238 runs going into Day 3, having reached 207/2 in just 35 overs. With an overnight score of 133 off just 118 balls, opener Duckett gets things started, while Joe Root is at the other end with nine off 13. During his innings, Duckett has hit an amazing 21 fours and two sixes, helping England score at a pace just under six.

On Day 2, Ollie Pope fell to Mohammed Siraj on 39 off 55, ending a 93-run stand he had constructed with Duckett, dealing them a late blow. Prior to that, Duckett and Zak Crawley enjoyed an opening partnership of 84 runs, achieved in just 80 balls.

The breakthrough for India came when Ravichandran Ashwin got rid of Crawley on the fifteenth over, making history as the second Indian after Anil Kumble to record 500 Test wickets. However, Ashwin withdrew from the match after the day’s play on Friday due to a family issue, meaning that India will have to play the remainder of this match without their senior spinner and all-rounder. As a result, India essentially have 10 players to choose from when it comes to batting and bowling, but they can always have a backup fielder available.

After tea, Duckett scored his third test century in just 88 balls. So far in his 118-ball innings, he has hit 21 fours and two sixes. His century against India was the fastest by an England batsman against them, surpassing Graham Gooch’s 1990 95-ball century. Additionally, Duckett made history by being the first hitter from outside India to score more than 100 runs in a test match.

Earlier, with 326-5 at the end of their first innings, India lost Yadav to a catch for 4 off James Anderson in the fourth over of the morning. Six balls later, century-maker Jadeja sent Root a straightforward return catch, which proved to be the heavier blow. Jadeja only added two more runs to his total while he was out for 112. In his second test hundred at his home ground, he hit a six and nine fours out of 225 deliveries faced overall.

Following the interval, England was given five penalty runs as umpire Joel Wilson punished Ashwin for racing onto the dangerous part of the field. This meant that it was 5-0 when it began its first inning. With a 57-run eighth-wicket partnership between Ashwin and rookie Dhruv Jurel, India reached lunch at 388-7. After lunch, Jurel reached 46 after surviving two dropped catches. On his test debut, he scored the third-highest of any Indian keeper-batter.

Rehan Ahmed eventually caught up to Jurel, finishing with a 2-85 score. Jurel and Ashwin scored 77 runs together overall. With a final 30-run partnership with Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah finished with a score of 26 and frustrated the visitors. Just before tea, Mark Wood got rid of Bumrah for LBW, ending India’s innings at 4-114.