Chasing 557 runs, IND vs ENG 3rd test collapse for 122; Rohit says youngsters showed character.
The captain of India, Rohit Sharma, discussed the team’s biggest takeaway following the team’s 434-run victory against England at Rajkot on Day 4 of the third Test. The young players delivered when it mattered most.
Many congratulations to the young boys who have demonstrated character, showed that they belong at this level, and expressed a desire to fit in. Bench strength is something we discuss and have seen in this series. With two Test matches remaining, the squad seized a 2-1 lead in the series. “It’s a good feeling to win a game after being down 33 for 3 in the first innings,” Rohit remarked.
The youthful players‘ efforts gave India hope for a successful future for the Test team.Yashasvi Jaiswal, 22, became the third youngest person to hit two double hundreds (the youngest being Vinod Kambli, and the second youngest being Don Bradman).
On Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, during the third day of India vs. England’s test cricket match, Yashaswi Jaiswal of India celebrates after hitting a century.
After playing for years in first-class cricket, Sarfaraz Khan, 26, made sure he capitalized on his Test debut with two half centuries, and Shubman Gill, 24, who began the series under pressure, turned things around with a hundred in the previous Test and a 91 in this Test’s second innings.
England were shot out for 122 in their second innings while chasing a mark of 557 runs; it was reminiscent of a bygone era when English batsmen would crumble into a heap when their bowlers gave runs to Indian batsmen.
After two close Test matches in which England captured the hearts of the fans with their attacking style of play with both bat and ball, it was the nineties all over again.
Following the victory, there were only a few quiet handshakes and gentle back pats as the Indian players trickled into the changing area. Raising his arms in the air, Ravindra Jadeja celebrated his performance and the victory as the last wicket fell. With a game-changing hundred in the opening over and a five-for in the second, England was bowled out in under forty overs.
There were a few dramatic moments in the match, starting with India falling to 33 for 3 on the first morning of play and ending with R Ashwin having to quit the match in the middle of the second day due to a family emergency on the evening of Day 2, after attaining the incredible milestone of 500 Test wickets. Sunday morning, he returned to the team; according to Rohit, “it shows his character to put the team ahead.”
🚨 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
However, Jadeja would end up being named man of the match after matching his first-inning century with a five-for in the second inning to bowl out England for 122.
The match will also make many wonder about England’s Bazball assault strategy. Did they get carried away or overcook it? Two specific moments on the third day would be highlighted.
Joe Root reverse-swept Jasprit Bumrah to second slip as England cruised to 224 for 2, chasing India’s 445 first-inning total. Soon after, their captain Ben Stokes slugged to long-on as they appeared to be on the rebound, reaching 299 for 5. To cap off England’s banana-peel of a day, the imperious centurion Ben Duckett sliced a wide delivery straight to cover in between.
Stokes said that Joe Root’s firing marked a turning point since he came forward with it. It’s not a shot that you always see players in Test matches making. However, who am I to criticize a man with nearly 12,000 Test match runs and 30 Test match hundreds? I believe he is competent in his field.
Stokes would also assert that England will not abandon their aggressive strategy, popularly referred to as “Bazball.” “No, not at all. We’re going outside to play freely. Just take a look at the execution—there is no need to make any changes.”
On the first day, the hosts were struggling with a poor ground and were down 33 for 3. However, the seniors saved the day when Jadeja and Rohit combined for 204 runs at hundreds. India’s position was precarious even then, but Sarfaraz struck a brilliant 66 off 66 balls to not only solidify India’s lead but also demonstrate how to counter England’s spinners on this particular ground.
Jaiswal took the inspiration from his maiden double century and followed it by smashing the bowlers in the second innings to put India in an unbeatable position. The fact that Jaiswal and Sarfaraz, two young players in this series, have given three of the more encouraging knocks of intent speaks much.
As the series went on, there was concern that India may be eliminated because of the inexperience of the players, but the fact that the younger players are starting to take charge will cheer the team management. Particularly following Axar Patel’s and Shreyas Iyer’s ball-handling mishaps (Iyer was dropped).
It’s a good thing that a test requires four or five days of intense work in order to pass. In the second and third Tests, we executed our plans brilliantly, using both the bat and the ball, and we also made some excellent catches, Rohit stated.
India ultimately prevailed thanks to an all-around effort, while England—despite their public denials—needs to reflect on their actions.