India blasted England by 434 runs, their highest score in a Test match, to take a commanding 2-1 lead.
3rd Test Match Updates : With a brilliant double century from Yashasvi Jaiswal and a career-best 5/41 from Ravindra Jadeja, India crushed England by 434 runs to win the Rajkot Test in four days, their largest-ever margin of victory. Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav ran through England’s batting order as they bowled them out for 114, their sixth-lowest Test score against India despite needing to chase 557.
With a straight Test double, Jaiswal set the tone for India’s declared second-innings total of 430/4. Jaiswal was forced to leave the game hurt on Saturday at the end of Shubman Gill’s wicket after he was run out for 91. The only question on everyone’s mind by the time Jaiswal and the Indian innings ended was, “Retired hurt, who?” That’s the caliber of Jaiswal.
He went on the rampage, causing havoc during a rapid partnership of 172 runs with Sarfaraz Khan, who struck his second fifty of the game. The day clearly belonged to Jaiswal, who remained undefeated on 214 off 72 balls with six fours and three sixes, but the rookie went on a hitting binge of his own.
Their combined thumping of England was sufficient to set the visitors a massive target, which they crashed and burned while pursuing. The writing was on the wall as soon as their centurion in the final innings, Ben Duckett, went out. Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope were everywhere, while Zak Crawley was still having trouble with Jasprit Bumrah. When Ben Stokes and Joe Root attempted to resist at 24/5, England felt a glimmer of optimism, but their efforts only served to postpone the inevitable.
While chasing a tough target, England saw a stunning collapse, with only two of their top six scorers reaching double figures: Stokes (15) and Zak Crawley (7). India took an uncharacteristically conservative approach at the outset of their innings, and they quickly established dominance over the English team.
Known for their self-assured and aggressive strokeplay, England’s opening duo of Crawley and Duckett adopted a defensive strategy, playing out two consecutive maiden overs before scoring their first runs in the third. Nevertheless, tragedy befell England as Dhruv Jurel’s outstanding athletic performance resulted in Duckett’s runout. The visitors collapsed after this wicket, with Crawley falling shortly before tea to a stunning delivery from Bumrah.