RAJKOT, Feb 17:
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dream season just got better as he singlehandedly seized the initiative from England with a sizzling century, putting India in complete control at the end of third day’s play in the third Test.
Jaiswal’s (104 retired hurt off 133 balls) second ton of the series was beautifully complemented by Shubman Gill (65 batting, 120 balls), who curbed his natural aggression as India ended the day at 196 for 2 in 51 available overs.
The left-handed opener, who will be torch-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade, scored his third Test hundred in only seventh Test appearance before the blazing blade was brought to a halt by back spasms that forced him to retire.
The Jaiswal-Gill pair added 155 runs in quick time with the former giving the English team a test of its own medicine with nine fours and five sixes, the best being the imperious pull off Jimmy Anderson.
The overall lead swelled to 322 by stumps, after Indian bowlers made a splendid comeback, getting last five England wickets for only 29 runs with visitors being bowled out for 319.
Mohammed Siraj (4/84 in 21.1 overs) was brilliant with his yorkers to tail-enders while Kuldeep Yadav (2/77 in 18 overs) compensated brilliantly for Ravichandran Ashwin’s unfortunate withdrawal with two quick wickets in the morning session.
However it was Joe Root’s indiscreet reverse ramp off Jasprit Bumrah which Jaiswal pouched with less than a second’s reaction time that turned the tables.
“That shot was not on and it became a turning point,” Siraj said at post-match press conference.
Rohit Sharma’s captaincy was spot-on and the manner in which he tweaked Jasprit Bumrah’s field position at long-on to get Ben Stokes dismissed off Ravindra Jadeja (2/51) spoke volumes about his acumen.
On Sunday, India would be looking to take a lead of at least 425 if not 450 and have at least 125 overs to bowl out England. With no Ashwin available, India would need a cushion of more overs on a deck that is still good for batting.
Jaiswal Jazz
Jaiswal’s onslaught continued despite England frenetically changing their bowling and fielding plans but none worked enough to stop the Indian opener. Having spotted a vacant off-side field, Jaiswal brought out two reverse sweeps off Rehan Ahmed for fours.
However, his charge was halted only after England brought back Mark Wood for a short-ball ploy yet again in the game with a packed leg side field. Unfazed with England’s deployments, Jaiswal dealt in singles once into his 90s and brought up his third century of fledgling career with a four off Wood.
However, the left-handed opener had to retired hurt close to the end of the play for being unable to deal with back spasms. Jaiswal not only took the wind out of England’s aspirations but also consolidated India’s grip on the contest, having lost Rohit Sharma (19) cheaply in the second session.
At the other end, Gill put behind the disappointment of the first-innings duck with a fifth half-century, countering England’s ploy of a packed on-side field with up to six fielders placed and Wood bowling into his body. India’s task was to preserve wickets and build their lead, given the amount of time left in the game and surface here being benign so far.
Additionally, Rohit’s early dismissal with their overall lead not being big enough would have provided some concerns but all that was banished by the pair of Jaiswal and Gill with their unbeaten 155-run stand for the second wicket.
Kuldeep’s ripper
Kuldeep, who was hit for plenty by Ben Duckett on second day, found his mojo, bowling splendidly through the first session of the day which kept a leash on England, while also accounting for Jonny Bairstow with an unplayable delivery.
Bairstow moved deep into the crease but was pinned in front of the wickets with one that turned sharply into him from outside the off.
Bumrah then accounted for Root (18) for the ninth time in 21 innings, as former skipper’s shocking dismissal – a reverse ramp to second slip – once again exposed the bizarreness of the ultra aggressive approach. Having struggled to score freely in the first session, England resorted to go all-out post lunch but the ploy backfired horrendously.
Jadeja had Stokes (41) caught by Bumrah who was placed a bit straighter at long-on, forcing the batter to adjust his stroke. Jadeja also had Tom Hartley stumped for his second wicket. For Ben Foakes, a delivery from Siraj slowed a little bit off the surface for an easy grab for Rohit at mid-on.
The India pacer wasted no time in cleaning up tail-enders Ahmed and Anderson to bring up a four-for, with England rolling over for 319 from 290/5 at lunch. (PTI)
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