India hammered England by 434 runs to secure their biggest ever Test win to bowl out the Three Lions for 122 to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series on Sunday. The Men in Blue controlled the game from the offset, taking a 126-run first innings lead.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal brought up his second double century (214), as Shubman Gill supported him with a 91-run knock to take India to 430-4 in the second innings. Jaiswal joined Wasim Akram in his record of hitting 12 sixes in a Test innings in a fantastic display of some swashbuckling strokeplay.
🚨 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙩! 🚨
With a winning margin of 434 runs in Rajkot, #TeamIndia register their biggest Test victory ever 👏🔝A historic win courtesy of some memorable performances 👌👌Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/FM0hVG5X8M#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/nXbjlAYq7K— BCCI (@BCCI) February 18, 2024
Chasing an improbable 557 for victory, England slumped to 50-7 with Ravindra Jadeja (5-41) wrecking their middle order. Once Kuldeep Yadav dismissed England captain Ben Stokes lbw for 15, the match was effectively over.
Mark Wood made a quickfire 33 before being the last England batter dismissed as India registered their biggest test win in terms of runs. "England played well and put us under pressure but we have class bowlers and the message was to stay calm," home captain Rohit Sharma said.
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"It is easy to drift away from what you do as a team but I am really proud of how we came back."
After play resumed on the penultimate day, Gill consolidated India's position with his assured accumulation of runs. Gill was run out after a misunderstanding with Kuldeep Yadav but there was no respite for England as Jaiswal, who had retired hurt on 104 on Saturday, walked in.
Phenomenal performance by India to play this well with all the absentees that have impacted their team in this test series. Shout out to Yashasvi Jaiswal. The way he has started his international career is very impressive.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) February 18, 2024
Jaiswal and Sarfaraz tore into the England attack and it suddenly started raining boundaries as they plundered 172 runs off 158 deliveries. Jaiswal took a single off Root to bring up his double hundred, while Sarfaraz smashed three sixes in his unbeaten 68.
Left with a mountain to climb, England lost their openers cheaply and could never arrest the slide. Ben Duckett (four), who smashed 153 in the first innings, was run out after a horrible mix-up with Zak Crawley (11), who was trapped lbw by Jasprit Bumrah.
Jadeja mowed down the England middle order dismissing Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow and Root. Once Kuldeep removed England captain Ben Stokes lbw for 15, the match was effectively over. Jadeja's seven-wicket match haul, along with his hundred in the first innings, earned him the player of the match award at his home ground.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is the only player to score a double century in Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup and Test cricket.Has a double century in Vijay Hazare Trophy (limited overs) too.#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/AeqhXaeryh
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 18, 2024
"Ben Duckett played an unbelievable first innings and that was the tone we wanted to set through the whole innings," Stokes said after the loss. "We will leave this game behind us. We have to win the next two to win the series and that's what we will be trying to do."
The fourth Test, scheduled in Ranchi, begins on Friday.
First Published: Feb 18, 2024 5:55 PM IST
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