Match report and reaction
That’ll be enough from me. Thanks to all those who wrote in and got in touch across the Test match. Despite that shellacking for England, the series is still alive with two to play, and Stokes and co. will certainly try to tap into the energy that produced a comeback in last year’s Ashes. Join us next week for the fourth Test for even more fun. Go well!
“People do have short memories,” writes James Taylor (gonna say this is probably not the former England, Notts and Leicestershire batter). “A short couple of years ago the lamentations were for the death of English test cricket when we were getting beaten by all and sundry. Back then we’d have taken a 3 nil scoreline with a couple of close matches, especially with the bowling line up we have. Just to win a single test in India is incredibly difficult so to still be in the series is a cause for optimism.”
“This batting collapse was ALL about England’s style of play,” writes Debbie Dodd, in response to my case (11.30). “Great teams know how to adapt to the conditions they are faced with. They don’t expect to play the same way every time, and they don’t expect every player to employ the same risks, as the game changes hour by hour. You can’t on the one hand claim that Bazball is the saviour of Test cricket whenever England wins, then shrug your shoulders and say “oh well, they were just too good for us, it happens to everyone”, when they don’t.
“Great teams have played aggressive, entertaining cricket, since time immemorial, when the time was right. Those same great teams have known when to be patient and dig in. That’s what makes them great. Until England realises that Bazball (for want of a better word) will work some of the time for some of the players, but not all of the time for all of the players – and that it doesn’t need a label - they will never be a truly great team. The irony is that Bazball is just 50-over cricket tactics, and they are certainly crap at that format.”
Alastair Cook picks his XI for the next Test: he’d bring in Dan Lawrence for Jonny Bairstow. TOWIE.
Stokes speaks to Graeme Swann for TNT. Interestingly he’s asked if he could bowl in the series – he says he’s feeling pretty good, having started again in training. “I’m not saying no, not saying yes either.”
“This was a match that had to be drawn,” says Gary Moors. “A five match series is a campaign. England doesn’t have the mental stamina to go the distance.”
Ravindra Jadeja is named Player of the Match, just brilliant on his return from injury. A reminder that India were 33-3 when he walked out to bat on the opening day, and he delivered a terrific century. And then seven wickets followed – a wonderful all-round performance.
Ben Stokes speaks to Deep Dasgupta and is predictably positive during a short chat, reminding everyone that at 2-1 down with two to play, they can still win the series.
“Not to rub it in, but it’s currently 35° here on the beach in Australia in the evening and I’m sitting having fish and chips and enjoying the England collapse,” wrote a cheery David Meiklejohn near the end of the England innings. “At least when we get thrashed in India, we can always go to the beach and try and forget about it.”
What a match for India’s future, by the way. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Test career, seven matches old, has already produced two double hundreds and an average of 71.75. He’s got a wonderful swing of the bat, his unbeaten 214 in this Test including a staggering 12 sixes. And then there’s Sarfaraz Khan, who delivered two half-centuries on debut, living up to his already tremendous first-class record. Dhruv Jurel looks a strong talent behind the stumps, too.
Getting quite a few messages lamenting the death of Bazball. Let’s be real, though, this batting display wasn’t really about England’s style of play – this is the sort of collapse we’ve seen from sides of old in the subcontinent. It happens – particularly when you’re up against a class bowling attack, under scoreboard pressure, on a spitting pitch. There’s a reason India haven’t lose a series at home since 2012 – they’re very, very good.
“At least Mark Wood has sent a message to the Indian team or perhaps his own teammates with his entertaining knock,” writes Colum Fordham. “Though I’m not sure what the message is. Swing lustily but try to make contact with the ball. Surely Ami Stewart’s Knock on Wood has to be his Bazball song.
"Perhaps the England team would benefit from playing a proper match against a decent local side before the next test instead of sauntering off to Abu Dhabi. Bazball has seen finer days.” There’s no real time for either – the next Test gets underway on Friday.
Jadeja finishes with figures of 5-41, his 13th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. With a century in the first innings, too, he’s probably Player of the Match, even after Jaiswal’s latest masterpiece.
India win by 434 runs!
Jadeja does get five and Wood’s cameo comes to a close, with Jaiswal taking the catch at long-off. It’s a proper thumping from the hosts, a record winning margin in a men’s Test for India – and they’re now 2-1 up in the series with two games still left to play.
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39th over: England 120-9 (Wood 31, Anderson 1) Wood smashes another boundary, this time off Ashwin, to go to 30 off 10 – this is so much fun.
38th over: England 114-9 (Wood 26, Anderson 0) Wood makes room for a slice over backward point for another four, and he then thumps one through extra cover to bring up England’s three figures! Wahey! There’s an lbw shout next up, which looks very, very close to me. The finger doesn’t go up but India don’t have any reviews. Wood then launches Jadeja for a straight six! He’s on 22 off seven deliveries. Wood then picks up another four over extra cover. And then, with the last ball of the over, he misses with the heave and is trapped lbw by Jadeja. The finger goes up, Wood reviews … and it’s pitching outside leg stump! A remarkable over.
37th over: England 91-9 (Wood 8, Anderson 0) Anderson delivers a couple of swing-and-misses, with two silly points waiting for a grab.
“Hi Taha, thanks for your sterling work in putting this misery fest to bed.” Hello, Daniel Barnett, who has an excellent suggestion. “Surely there’s only one candidate for producing the musical – Baz Lurhmann himself, king of the ‘over-the-top, bigger and louder, let’s throw a bit more pizzazz at it’ school of thought. Should be a belter.”
WICKET! Hartley b Ashwin 16 (England 91-9)
Ashwin gets in on the fun! Hartley drags the ball on to his stumps and this’ll finish up tonight.
36th over: England 91-8 (Hartley 16, Wood 8) Mark Wood is going to have some fun! He begins with a drive through the covers before slog-sweeping for another boundary with the next ball.
WICKET! Foakes c Jurel b Jadeja 16 (England 82-8)
Jadeja returns to the attack and strikes, nabbing Foakes’ edge after the England keeper tried to launch a cut. Jurel, who has been very assured behind the stumps today, holds on.
35th over: England 82-7 (Foakes 16, Hartley 16) Hartley seizes upon a drag-down from Kuldeep and thumps the ball through extra cover for four. The dream of three figures, now 18 runs away, is well and truly alive.
A frustrated Gareth Wilson comes off the long run: “It’s the lack of competitiveness, Taha. It’s ok to lose, especially against India in India. It’s ok to take the aggressive option. It’s ok to be second best. It’s not ok to throw a match away. It’s not ok to sacrifice responsibility on the altar of aggression.”
34th over: England 77-7 (Foakes 15, Hartley 12) Seems to be a wicket appeal every over at the moment, with India appearing keen on a chill Monday.
Kim Thonger asks: “If you had to pick an artist to make a concept album and/or musical about Bazball, who would get the gig?
“At the moment I’d choose Megadeath for an album, and Schönberg, Boublil, and Jean-Marc Natel of Les Miserables fame for a musical.”
For Stokes, one must go with The Strokes.
33rd over: England 76-7 (Foakes 14, Hartley 12) Hartley fails to make contact with a reverse-sweep off Kuldeep, with Jurel taking a fine take behind the stumps before unsuccessfully appealing for a catch.
32nd over: England 75-7 (Foakes 13, Hartley 12) Ashwin unfurls a dippin’, spittin’ off break that turns past Hartley’s forward prod and into the hands of the keeper. India go up for a caught-behind and review the not-out call. Turns out the deflection was off Hartley’s arm.
31st over: England 75-7 (Foakes 13, Hartley 12) Geoff Wignall writes in: “Bazball? Not really. When you lose 15 wickets for fewer than 150 runs on a decent pitch, interrupted only by your opponents scoring 430/4 that isn’t about bazball – it’s just bad cricket.” Fair call.
30th over: England 73-7 (Foakes 12, Hartley 11) Hartley, who really does rock the long-sleeves-rolled-up look, comes down the ground to launch Ashwin over long-on for six before cutting hard for four.
29th over: England 61-7 (Foakes 11, Hartley 0) Some pain relief for England in the form of back-to-back Foakes boundaries and a wasted India review after Kuldeep struck the front pad outside off stump.
28th over: England 53-7 (Foakes 3, Hartley 0) Ravichandran Ashwin, back in the match, takes the ball for the first time this innings. He gets six goes at Tom Hartley, who survives.
27th over: England 53-7 (Foakes 3, Hartley 0) Remember when England were 224-2? That was yesterday. Rajeev Chakrabarti writes in from Kolkata and suggests a tune: “Since you mentioned Maggie Rogers, I thought i’d share one of my favourite music videos and you and your readers could enjoy it too.”
26th over: England 51-7 (Foakes 1, Hartley 0) A Foakes single ends England’s nightmarish time on 50.
“If I were someone senior in the England set-up, I’d have a quiet word to Rehan,” writes Max Bonnell. “I’d point out that it took him 282 balls in this Test to take three wickets. Test wickets are meant to be hard to get, and if you’re taking 94 balls to take each one, it’s a good idea to make the other side work just as hard to take yours.”
25th over: England 50-7 (Foakes 0, Hartley 0) If you’re an England fan emerging from your Sunday morning lie-in … go back to bed.
WICKET! Rehan c Siraj b Kuldeep 0 (England 50-7)
Rehan sees flight from Kuldeep, tries to go big, and just offers a simple grab to Siraj at long-on. England have lost three wickets for no runs.
24th over: England 50-6 (Foakes 0, Rehan 0) Jadeja, machine-like and programmed for destruction, runs through another over without giving away anything.
23rd over: England 50-6 (Foakes 0, Rehan 0) The key question now: can England make it to tomorrow?
WICKET! Stokes lbw Kuldeep 15 (England 50-6)
Stokes misses the sweep this time round, with Kuldeep the bowler, and the finger goes up. England’s captain reviews … but the ball is shown to be crashing into leg stump.
22nd over: England 50-5 (Stokes 15, Foakes 0) Jadeja has gorgeous figures of 3-10 from eight overs. What a fabulous cricketer.
WICKET! Root lbw Jadeja 7 (England 50-5)
Root failed to make contact with the sweep … there’s a spike on UltraEdge but there was also a gap between bat and ball. The sound is probably bat hitting the ground. Ball-tracking shows the ball just clipping the top of off stump. Root shakes his head, another low score and that after a very tight call.
Root is given out lbw to Jadeja! The batter reviews …
21st over: England 50-4 (Root 7, Stokes 15) Kuldeep is on and immediately troubles Root with his lack of bounce. The left-arm wrist-spinner, you’ll remember, bowled a gorgeous spell yesterday morning.
20th over: England 49-4 (Root 6, Stokes 15) “You realise we might have seen the last of Jonny Bairstow after that wicket?” writes John Starbuck. “He probably won’t retain his place even as a stopgap ‘keeper, given that Pope could do the job, at a pinch. There does come a point at which someone else is given a go.”
I’d be shocked if Bairstow doesn’t play the rest of the series, just because of the way England back their players. In fact, should he get there, he’ll pick up his 100th cap in the fifth Test.
19th over: England 49-4 (Root 6, Stokes 15) Stokes times a clip through square leg beautifully, the ball running off his blade for four.
“I really think Stoke’s captaincy for England’s Test team is as much of a sea change as Kohli captaining India back in the mid-to-late 2010s,” writes Joon-hyuk Min. “By that same token it’ll be a while before coveted away series wins happen. Will they persist with Bazball in the face of bad days like yesterday and today?”
To be fair to Stokes and co, they’ve already won 3-0 in Pakistan and came just a couple runs away from a 2-0 victory in New Zealand. And, even if (when) they go down here, they’re still alive in the series …
18th over: England 42-4 (Root 6, Stokes 8) Root and Stokes unwilling to do anything remotely silly here, just quietening the whole game down for a bit. Jadeja concedes just one.
17th over: England 41-4 (Root 6, Stokes 7) Bumrah finally gets to have a breather, with Siraj back to try and thud the ball into Root’s pads. There are two catchers close in at short midwicket, ready to snaffle any mis-hits from Root. A maiden is the end-result.
16th over: England 41-4 (Root 6, Stokes 7) Jadeja quickly runs through another, with Stokes nabbing a couple to close the over.
Oliver Major joins us: “Thanks for all the good work; easing us into the pain before we have to turn on the tv!
“One for the stats team... if England are all out for less than India’s first innings lead, England have effectively lost by an innings; the whole majesty of Jaiswal and Sarfaraz was therefore potentially irrelevant ( clearly it wasn’t; wearing down bowlers, crushing hope etc etc). But how many times in Tests has it happened that the third innings is de facto irrelevant?”
15th over: England 38-4 (Root 5, Stokes 5) Bumrah gets Stokes’ outside edge … but the ball drops short of the slip cordon. He eventually gets one wrong, sending it down the leg side and all the way to the boundary, Jurel given no chance of saving it.
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14th over: England 33-4 (Root 5, Stokes 5) Jadeja twirls his way through another and I get the feeling Stokes and Root would just like to take it slowly for a bit.
13th over: England 32-4 (Root 5, Stokes 4) Bumrah keeps on trucking in with the new ball, Rohit presumably wanting to keep the match-up with Root going for as long as possible.
“It might sound old school but draws can be as entertaining as going after a huge score. It shows character and grit,” writes Arul Kanhere. “It can show what patience means in a test. I remember how India drew that test match against Australia at the SCG. I know England hate draws, but surely now is the time to test themselves. 1-1 still looks better than 2-1.”
12th over: England 29-4 (Root 5, Stokes 1) Ciaran McAneny’s Sunday itinerary is in trouble: “My plan today was to listen to the game at the gym whilst my boy is at his karate class...Would appreciate if India could slow down a little so I’ve got something to listen to...”
Impact was outside off stump after Stokes was struck playing back to Jadeja. The miracle is still on!
Stokes is struck on the pads and India go upstairs …
WICKET! Bairstow lbw Jadeja 4 (England 28-4)
Bairstow launches a sweep, misses completely, and knows it isn’t worth a review. The carnage continues.
11th over: England 28-3 (Root 5, Bairstow 4) Joe Root opts against the reverse scoop … for now.
10th over: England 24-3 (Bairstow 4, Root 1) Bairstow is gifted a boundary off his first ball, with Siraj letting it through in the short third-man region. Jadeja has instantly discovered some rhythm, twirling away with pace and accuracy.
WICKET! Pope c Sharma b Jadeja 3 (England 20-3)
Another one goes! Pope goes back to try and cut Jadeja but can only produce a thick edge to Rohit at slip. That’s a very fine grab.
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9th over: England 20-2 (Pope 3, Root 1) Well this is a lovely sight: Ravichandran Ashwin is back out there! Bumrah gets some very decent tail into Root, and there’s a hearty shout for lbw but India opt against reviewing the not-out decision.
And we’re back. Joe Root is in to face his nemesis, Jasprit Bumrah.
Tea: England 18-2
Joe Root will emerge after the break, out of form but his side desperately needing something remarkable from him. They’ve got 539 more runs to get.
WICKET! Crawley lbw Bumrah 11 (England 18-2)
Bumrah thuds the ball into Crawley’s pads and the finger goes up! The batter reviews but that’s knocking over leg stump. We’re on course for a demolition.
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8th over: England 18-1 (Crawley 11, Pope 2) Ravindra Jadeja is called in and immediately finds some sharp, troubling turn outside off stump. Pope is forced to see out a maiden.
7th over: England 18-1 (Crawley 11, Pope 2) Time for Pope to do Hyderabad all over again.
WICKET! Duckett run out Siraj 4 (England 15-1)
Oh my. Duckett wants a single with a clip to the leg side, but Crawley sends him back. Siraj, at midwicket, picks up and launches a throw but he needs Jurel to get to the stumps and take them down. The keeper does brilliantly, sprinting in and acrobatically collecting to take them down. The first-innings centurion departs.
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6th over: England 15-0 (Crawley 11, Duckett 4) India haven’t threatened to take a wicket yet but this has still been a good start from them, Siraj and Bumrah unwilling to give any room outside off for Duckett and Crawley to tuck into. They’d rather play the long game, testing their patience and why not – they’ve got so many runs to play with.
Sankaran Krishna writes in, all the way from Honolulu! “It’s approaching midnight but I’m riveted to the cricket. No question of heading off to bed. And all the credit for that goes to Stokes and McCullum. They’ve honestly rescued test cricket from imminent extinction. And it’s just thrilling to know that England will go after the target whatever it is. I’m hoping all teams start playing this way!”
5th over: England 10-0 (Crawley 9, Duckett 1) Duckett is being forced to practise his forward-defence, with Bumrah keeping it nice and straight from around the wicket. Ouch. The left-hander gets a blow to the box and needs a moment on his haunches. He finally gets off the mark with his 12th delivery, punching into the leg-side for a single.
4th over: England 9-0 (Crawley 9, Duckett 0) Crawley clips through the leg-side once again for four. Siraj ends the over with a tasty inswinger, so there is still some threat with this new ball.
3rd over: England 5-0 (Crawley 5, Duckett 0) Crawley gets the scoreboard working with a clip behind square leg for four after Bumrah goes a touch too straight. The bowler then gets his tricks out, trying a slow off-cutter with the new ball.
In response to Kim’s message below: have you not watched these lot over the last two years? They seem to hate drawing more than losing.
2nd over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Duckett 0) Mohammed Siraj takes over at the other end, bowling straight lines to ensure Duckett has no room for an off-side jab. Another maiden follows.
Kim Thonger writes in: “I fully expected to wake up to a score like this. I’m hopeful that Stokes has the good sense to instruct his batters to play for a draw. It would do them good to knuckle down for once and concentrate on not getting out. If he does, my money is on a slow dull watchful century from Root.”
1st over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Duckett 0) Bumrah pitches one out wide and Crawley goes for a big swish … and misses. Of course they’re going to go for it. The great Indian quick doesn’t give much else away, though, forcing through a maiden.
Crawley and Duckett are out there. Bumrah’s got the fresh cherry. Let’s roll.
Anyone got any recommendations for the hype music England should have on in the changing room at the moment? I’ve discovered the genius that is Maggie Rogers this week, so I’d chuck this on and get my feet moving:
Guy Hornsby wrote in just before Rohit called in his boys: “Morning Taha, this a bit of a rum do, isn’t it? I agree we shouldn’t be bowling Jimmy or Wood here. There’s no value in it. This is declaration runs and with Jaiswal’s double ton (and what a Test it’s been for this new star) and Sarfaraz’s 50, it’s pointless. They have an embarrassment of new riches.
“On the whole B******* thing, I’m pretty sanguine. I think a lot is a bit tongue in cheek (and people really want to take it without humour), and it’s also their mantra of positivity, where they say it so they’ll play it. It’s a lot more nuanced and I’m sure it’s very calculated behind closed doors. But is changing things, things that have been around for decades. I’m as pessimistic as they come, having grown up in the 80/90s, but this team makes me think something special could happen when I’d usually be fatalistic by default, and so these things are far less dismal, way more exciting. That’s surprised even me. But I can really see how it annoys people. It annoys me sometimes, but I really like what they’re doing to the Test game. It’s moved the dial, beyond doubt.”
England set a target of 557
They’re obviously going to go for it. Good luck, fellas.
India declare on 430-4
98th over: India 430-4 (Jaiswal 214, Sarfaraz 68) Rehan goes around the wicket and Sarfaraz gets on one knee to slap the ball over midwicket for six. Then a smash to the extra cover boundary for four … then another almighty heave over the leg side for six! Is Rohit going to let him have a go at a ton?!? Ah, never mind – the skipper calls them in. Some staggering hitting there at the end. Jaiswal raises his arms once again as he strides off the field, with the very impressive Sarfaraz letting his teammate have the adulation. Welcome to the future.
Cheers Rob! This is absolute carnage at the moment. When are India going to declare? Jaiswal and Sarfaraz were walking off, but Rohit’s animatedly told them to stay out there. They’ll be batting together in 2034.
Drinks I’m using my last bit of energy to tag in Taha Hashim, who will talk you through the next part of India’s victory march. Bye!
JAISWAL HITS ANOTHER MIGHTY DOUBLE HUNDRED!
97th over: India 412-4 (Jaiswal 213, Sarfaraz 51) Jaiswal drives Root for a single, charges down the track and strikes an increasingly familiar pose: arms wide, head back, eyes closed, luxuriating in his own brilliance. It’s been a spectacular innings: 200 from 231 balls with an Indian-record 10 sixes – and that was after he made a very watchful start to ensure England had no way back in the game.
He batted carefully as he approached 200 as well. Now it’s time to have some fun: he drives and swipes consecutive deliveries from Root over long off and long on, which equals Wasim Akram’s Test record of 12 sixes in an innings. He’s 22 years old.
The batsmen think Rohit Sharma has declared and start walking off the field – tops off, cigars on. Rohit appears on the balcony, waving his hands angrily, and tells them to go back and hit a few more sixes.
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96th over: India 397-4 (Jaiswal 199, Sarfaraz 50) Sarfaraz works Rehan off the hip to reach the second fifty of a fine debut. It’s been a long time coming but he looks a keeper: perky, unfettered and richly talented.
95th over: India 395-4 (Jaiswal 198, Sarfaraz 49) Jaiswal, on 197, turns Root to leg and sets off looking for two. Sarfaraz pointedly strolls a single. At first it seemed a glorious act of pettiness but I don’t think the second was ever on.
Since you asked, the last man to score double centuries in consecutive Tests against England was Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf in 2005-06. They were spread across two series; the last to do it in the same series – in the space of eight days in fact – was what’s-his-name in 2003.
94th over: India 393-4 (Jaiswal 197, Sarfaraz 48) Sarfaraz gives Jaiswal an impassioned brollocking after being sent back when he wanted a second run. They make up at the end of the over. No point falling out because they’ll be batting a lot together in the next few years.
93rd over: India 390-4 (Jaiswal 195, Sarfaraz 47) Sarfaraz lifts a full toss back over Root’s head, then clouts a slog-sweep to midwicket for four to move within three of a second half-century on debut. Many people need time to adjust to the rarefied atmosphere of Test cricket; Sarfaraz is not among their number.
92nd over: India 380-4 (Jaiswal 195, Sarfaraz 39) Sarfaraz tries to sweep Rehan out of the rough, misses and is relieved to see the ball bounce over the stumps. Everyone is waiting for a declaration, which may come as soon as Jaiswal reaches his double century.
91st over: India 376-4 (Jaiswal 193, Sarfaraz 38) Sarfaraz is dropped by Root, a sharp, low return catch. He’d take that maube eight times out of 10. He looks at his finger again, having hurt it when he caught Kuldeep earlier in the day. It doesn’t seem too bad. India lead by 502.
90th over: India 374-4 (Jaiswal 192, Sarfaraz 37) Only six players have hit more Test sixes in a calendar year than Jaiswal has in this series, which is one of the more mind-blowing statgasms of 2024. It will be a surprise if he doesn’t shorten that list by reaching 200 with his 21st six of the series.
“I’d like to thank England for their performance yesterday as its given me a reason to sleep until a reasonable time,” says Felix Wood. “I think the answer to ‘Why does everyone hate England?’ lies in the question. Frankly, people already know what they think and are looking for reasons. They probably hated England during the Strauss years for being boring. Strong irrational attachments are part of sport and that’s fine - in the real world is more of an issue. I dislike the India team, and the Aussies. I have to work quite hard to find reasons but I try, I try.”
89th over: India 370-4 (Jaiswal 190, Sarfaraz 35) Root replaces Anderson, who bowled a chastening spell of 3-0-37-0. Five from the over.
88th over: India 365-4 (Jaiswal 187, Sarfaraz 34) Sarfaraz tries to sweep Rehan, with the ball looping up on the leg side to be well caught by the diving Foakes. England review, but then Joel Wilson goes to talk to the square-leg umpire Kumar Dharmasena, which suggests he has given it out and wants to discuss whether it was a clean catch. Finally we hear it is a player review, and replays show Sarfaraz didn’t touch the ball. Not out. England have no reviews left, and even less hope.
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87th over: India 363-4 (Jaiswal 186, Sarfaraz 33) Sarfaraz chips Anderson wristily over square leg for four to bring up the century partnership from only 88 balls. These two have only eight Test caps between them; I think the future of India’s Test team looks okay.
Sarfaraz shapes to reverse scoop Anderson, realises the ball isn’t there for the shot and improvises a defensive shot with his inside edge. I bet he learned that one from Kim Barnett.
I’m not sure Anderson should be bowling here; he doesn’t need this at his age. Jaiswal adds four more with a deliberate, open-faced steer. He tries again next ball and misses. I thought there was an edge, watching it live, but nobody reacted.
86th over: India 354-4 (Jaiswal 186, Sarfaraz 33) Jaiswal is two short of Wasim Akram’s Test record of 12 sixes in an innings, maded against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura (I think) in 1996-97. He hits the ball so cleanly, particulartly down the ground.
No sixes in that over from Rehan, though England almost get a wicket when a top-edged sweep from Sarfaraz plops between two fielders. India lead by 480.
“Contrary to their mantra, England have not changed the way Test cricket is played; they have changed the way they play it,” says Darryl Accone. “Also, their dangerous and unseemly self-regard is shown precisely by Duckett’s lack of imagination regarding Jaiswal’s latest ton, which he ascribes to the example of Bazball. Next Duckett will be referencing the playing fields of Eton as the great school room of the world.”
Arf. Do they claim to have changed the way it’s played, or is that the media? That’s a genuine question, not a confrontational one – I’ve completely lost track. Whether they said or not, I would argue they have changed it, same as Steve Waugh’s four-an-over mob at the start of the century. Anyway, I’m going to shut up because I think Jaiswal and Sarfaraz deserve our undivided attention.
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85th over: India 350-4 (Jaiswal 180, Sarfaraz 26) Astonishing batting from Yashasvi Jaiswal! He hits Anderson – Jimmy Anderson. the thriftmeister general – for three successive sixes: a pick-up over deep backward square, a drive over extra cover and a savage thump down the ground. Wow.
He has now hit 10 sixes in the innings, an Indian record, and 20 in the series – a world record, with two and a bit Tests to go!
Jaiswal has just hit a HAT-TRICK of sixes against Jimmy Anderson 🤯#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/jcmEfcgztF
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) February 18, 2024
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84th over: India 329-4 (Jaiswal 159, Sarfaraz 26) Sarfaraz guides Rehan to third man, where Anderson does incredibly well to save one entirely pointless run. For a 41-year-old, that level of commitment is beyond admirable.
England are going to suffer in the next hour or two. Jaiswal moves to 159 by waving a full toss from Rehan to the extra-cover boundary.
83rd over: India 321-4 (Jaiswal 154, Sarfaraz 23) Jimmy Anderson returns to the attack. He bowls a rare wide, trying to keep Jaiswal quiet outside off stump, and is then steered for a single. It brings up Jaiswal’s 150, his third fatherly century in only seven Tests and a masterpiece of pacing and strokeplay.
The milestone reached, Jaiswal treats himself to a premeditated scoop for four, taking the ball from well wide of off stump. I bet he learned that shot from Jos Buttler. There have been better 22-year-old batsmen in the history of the game; I can’t think of too many with Jaiswal’s range.
“There is no hating this England side,” says Anul Kanhere. “They threatened India in India and are playing in a manner that is forcing everyone to see Tests in a different light. One aberration does not mean anything in elite sports. It costs games - but does not mean the idea was wrong.”
This is an important point about yesterday – Root aside, it was a failure of execution rather than shot selection. Also, and we really should dwell on this a bit more, India played like the champions they are.
“I think the reason non-English followers find Bazball so irritating, as well as cocky and arrogant, is that it pays no heed to one of the fundamentals of sport – respect for one’s opponent, in both words and deeds,” says Pete Salmon. “In any sporting contest, each side needs to respond to what the opposition does – this is a basic sort of respect. Bazball simply goes on as if the opponents don’t exist (nor the match situation, which is ultimately the same). Add to that things like ‘moral victories’ (which seems to imply the opposition were immoral in not joining the fun) and the delusional press conferences that always seem to say they did the right thing, and no wonder they provoke emotional reactions.”
I’d argue the press conferences are knowing rather than delusional. I take the point about the opposition, though this is hardly a new thing in competitive sport. I also think it’s a lot more nuanced. But I get all the criticism and contempt. I suppose what confuses me more is how many England fans seem to dislike their own team.
Anyway, enough, here come the players.
Okay, I need to run and get some lunch before it’s too late. I’ll leave you with a typically elegant piece of writing from Guardian sport’s equivalent to VVS Laxman.
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“I take your point,” says Finn. “Perhaps it is true that an attacking mentality yields the best result for the English team. Where I think it falls down is that everyone takes a uniform approach. I would have much the same concerns if the captain asked everyone to adopt an ultra-defensive methodology.
“But the real acrimony you are seeing comes from their belief that Earth’s gravitational pull is derived from the English set up and not the sun. Duckett taking the shine off Jaiswal’s century by attributing said brilliance to the English mentality is symptomatic of a setup that does not have enough people providing some dissent to Stokes and McCullum’s new world order. It’s a bit silly... innit?”
Well, two things. Do they really take a uniform approach? Stokes doesn’t, and the others – though uniformly positive - all score runs in different ways. As for Duckett’s comments, earlier in the series Stokes openly said he had learned from Rohit’s fields, and I thought the opposite was true yesterday: India’s fields were their most imaginative of the series. Teams learn from each other all the time. Maybe Duckett shouldn’t say it but in the grand scheme, who cares? I haven’t seen his specific comments so I may be wrong on this, but to say it “takes the shine off Jaiswal’s century” feels excessive. It still looks bloody shiny to me.
I agree about the Earth’s gravitation pull, though I would argue that comes more from the English media than the team. I suspect the more we subscribe to the view that England are a bunch of Kool Aid-glugging chancers, the more they will play up to it - partly for a bit of fratboy fun, partly to stick two fingers up at people who don’t give them the credit they feel they deserve. They are literally, demonstrably, the most attacking batting team in the history of Test cricket; that alone should buy them a whole heap of slack.
This isn’t very coherent, sorry. I barely slept last night and am all over the show. Put simply, in time I think we’ll remember this team with the greatest fondness. I know I haven’t felt so alive watching sport (not right now, I’m biting my lip to stay awake, but in the past two years) since Michael van Gerwen exploded on the oche in the winter of 2012. That’s just, like, my opinion, man.
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Lunchtime viewing
Lunch: India lead by 440
A predictably miserable session for England, who had no choice but to stand and watch India’s lead move into the stratosphere. Shubman Gill was run out for 91 and the nightwatchman Kuldeep fell for 29, but even the wickets were a mixed blessing for England. They hastened the arrival of the more attacking Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, who belted a few sixes just before lunch to remind everyone what’s what in this game.
82nd over: India 314-4 (Jaiswal 149, Sarfaraz 22) Jaiswal wallops Rehan into the crowd at long on, his 17th six in three Tests. He’s two short of the world record for a Test series and we’re barely at the halfway point.
I was going to describe Jaiswal as a future superstar but I’m not sure the f-word is necessary. He’s barely 22 years old, and he’ll back after lunch to make his third 150+ score in only seven Tests. Only five players – Don Bradman, Neil Harvey, Javed Miandad, Graeme Smith and Kusal Mendis – have done that before their 23rd birthday.
81st over: India 307-4 (Jaiswal 142, Sarfaraz 22) Hartley replaces Root for the penultimate over before lunch. A cocky, arrogant, mediocre set of six is milked for three runs, which takes India’s lead to 433.
"why does everyone hate England..." asks the totally unbiased Rob Smyth from @guardian_sport. The answer might be somewhere in your own behavior, Rob! Cocky & arrogant mixed with mediocre makes a good mix not #INDvsENG https://t.co/sJ4WxVb4mB
— Nomadic Lives | Sanket D. (@NomadicLives) February 18, 2024
80th over: India 304-4 (Jaiswal 140, Sarfaraz 21) Sarfaraz, such a joyful player, slog-sweeps Rehan for four more; he’s now scored 17 from his last six balls. All England can do is stand there and take it for as long as India deceree.
79th over: India 299-4 (Jaiswal 139, Sarfaraz 17) Jaiswal clouts a full toss from Root over long on. That’s his sixth six of the innings and his 16th of the series. Only Rohit Sharma has ever scored more in a Test series: 19 against South Africa in 2019-20. Jaiswal could break that record today.
Sarfaraz joins in the fun with a sweet hit over midwicket for six more. He plays with such effervescence that it’s easy to forget he’s making his debut.
At the end of the over Root feels his spinning finger, which he hurt while catching Kuldeep. Surely he shouldn’t risk further damage? A worry for England is that this passage of play – essentially meaningless because the game is over – could impact the availability of Wood, Root and others for the fourth Test.
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78th over: India 284-4 (Jaiswal 131, Sarfaraz 10) Sarfaraz doubles his score from his 16th delivery, chipping Rehan to midwicket for four.
Seven from the over, India’s best for a while. They lead by 410.
77th over: India 277-4 (Jaiswal 130, Sarfaraz 4) “Well said Finn! (05.10 GMT),” writes Darryl Accone. “It really does seem as though this England squad, coach and captain have been given absolute licence, power without responsibility, to the analogous extent that the children are running the kindergarten and the lunatics the asylum. Surely a corrective brake, a robust adult sensibility, is needed to halt the bedlam? Mike Brearley is not only England’s most successful captain but also one of the UK’s most respected psychoanalysts. Call him in before the delusional madness – never better exhibited than in Duckett’s reality-shunning press conference yesterday – turns the current amusing and bemusing The Coral Island into Lord of the Flies.”
Crikey. I don’t see this at all. They get it wrong occasionally, which is unavoidable when you play so aggressively, but if they played orthodox cricket I don’t think they’ve had had anywhere near as much success in the last two years. And it certainly wouldn’t have been as life-affirming to watch. The only time I thought they lost the run of themselves was at the start of the Ashes; in this series, for the most part, I think their approach has been spot on.
They’re away to India, who never lose at home, with three virgin spinners and a malfunctioning engine room. Most of the dismissals yesterday were to defensive or neutral shots. I detes- dislike myself sufficiently to know that I may well be wrong, so what am I missing?
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76th over: India 276-4 (Jaiswal 129, Sarfaraz 4) India’s lead ticks past 400, the first time England have been in that particular position. The match is over; it’s just about the details and the subplots now.
75th over: India 271-4 (Jaiswal 126, Sarfaraz 2) Root bowls his 100th over of the series; the previous highest was 63 in Pakistan a year ago. Sarfaraz is taking a little time to get his eye in and has two from nine balls; it shouldn’t be long before he starts boshing straight sixes.
74th over: India 270-4 (Jaiswal 125, Sarfaraz 2) “I’m 99.94% sure that Bazball has been a good thing not just for England, but for Test cricket. But unfortunately that 0.06% encompasses circus shots like Joe Root’s yesterday,” says Will Ellen. “There are risks in any attacking shot, but to do that, then, against him (average 20.not very much), seemed like a kind of madness.”
Yes, for a player as smart as Root, the timing of the shot – I’ve no problem with it per se – was so bad as to verge on weird. It felt like a simple case of a great player whose head has temporarily gone rather than the latest manifestation of an evil cult. I’ve gone quite soft in old age; 20 years ago I’d have been calling for Root to be hung, drawn and left out of the Ranchi Test.
73rd over: India 265-4 (Jaiswal 122, Sarfaraz 0) England were quite late appealing for that Kuldeep catch, because they all knew (or thought they did) that it was out. You’ve got to appeal.
Root continues and is swept firmly for four by Jaiswal, the first boundary of his second innings. If these two get going after lunch, England will be left pining for the slow death of the morning session.
72nd over: India 257-4 (Jaiswal 115, Sarfaraz 0) And now for something a little livelier: Sarfaraz Khan.
Root seems okay by the way.
REHAN AHMED 👊
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) February 18, 2024
His first wicket of the innings 🏏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/jwad7afqUQ
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WICKET! India 258-4 (Kuldeep c Root b Rehan 27)
Kuldeep slices Rehan to slip, where Root takes a sharp catch to his right and immediately turns round to call for the physio. It’s given not out on the field, presumably because Joel Wilson thought it might have been a bump ball, but England send it upstairs. Replays show a clear edge so Kuldeep goes.
He played a useful innings but got stuck towards the end, with only one run from the last 34 deliveries.
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71st over: India 257-3 (Kuldeep 27, Jaiswal 114) Nice work again from Root. Kuldeep leaves a ball that just misses off stump, then survives an LBW after padding up. There was too much doubt for the umpire to give it out or for England to review.
70th over: India 256-3 (Kuldeep 27, Jaiswal 113) Rehan bowls a maiden to Kuldeep, who is batting very responsibly. Every spell that Rehan bowls in this series is an investment in England’s future. He’ll be 21 by the time of the next Ashes; given the struggles of English finger spinners in Australia this century, they would love to have a leggie over there.
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69th over: India 256-3 (Kuldeep 27, Jaiswal 113) The pitch isn’t spinning much – but every now and then a ball rags, like that one from Root to beat Jaiswal. An LBW appeal is caught in the throat because of an inside edge, and then Jaiswal skids back to flash a back cut for four. He is so good.
68th over: India 250-3 (Kuldeep 27, Jaiswal 107) Make that four runs from four overs. Slow or quick: how do you prefer your cricketing deaths?
“For such Kool Aid-swigging libertines, things are looking a bit flat out there,” writes Will Ellen. “Maybe the bowlers could take a cue from the batsmen and try something really funky. A cartwheel before they deliver the ball? The reverse soft shoe shuffle in lieu of a run up? Come on, we’re meant to be breaking new ground here!”
Why does everyone hate England? The country, sure, I can understand that – it’s a complete shambles – but not the cricket team.
67th over: India 249-3 (Kuldeep 27, Jaiswal 106) “Can you get him off the wicket please?” says one of the England players after Kuldeep goes for a little jog on a length. It’d be interesting to know whether India have discussed that as a team – it doesn’t feel like a Rahul Dravid tactic - or whether it developed organically.
A maiden from Root to Kuldeep means there have been three runs from the last three overs. India are rattled!
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66th over: India 249-3 (Kuldeep 27, Jaiswal 106) Rehan on for Hartley. The game is pottering along, with India’s lead now 375. It would be hilarious if England, without saying a word, went into South Africa 2012-13 mode to save the game, with Ben Duckett making 33 from 220 balls.
“The swagger of the English team remind me of Steve Waugh’s Invincibles,” writes Finn. “Duckett coming out yesterday and saying that the English should take some accolades towards influencing Jaiswal’s attacking century was as cringeworthy of McGrath’s pre series predictions and Warne’s numerous transgressions, on and off the field. Except, of course, Waugh’s team were utterly dominant over 15 years, give or a take a series or two.
“I’m wondering how you, and the English listeners, feel about some of the soundbites coming out of the English team, given they have lost to NZ, haven’t held the Ashes for nearly a decade and look set to fall behind in this series with Ashwin taking leave and Kohli and Shami not featuring. We’ve had our fair share of clowns representing the baggy green but I concerned about the cordial they’re giving out within the English camp.”
Personally I think they’re the most life-affirming England team of the past 19 years, maybe ever. Increasingly, I see the interviews as more playful than cringeworthy, though I realise I’m in a minority. I found myself quite irritated by the extent of the criticism yesterday, when only Joe Root and arguably Ben Stokes got their shot selection wrong.
Ultimately, this collection of England players are nowhere near as good as Australia or India – especially without Brook, Archer and Leach – so the fact they are going toe to toe with them, while playing some of the most attacking cricket in Test history, is more than enough to keep me happy. I get the opposite view, though; well, almost all of it. I don’t really understand the people who expect England’s batsmen to make an omelette without breaking any eggs.
65th over: India 247-3 (Kuldeep 26, Jaiswal 105) With Jaiswal back, Root comes into the attack. I missed his over because I was trying to process the email that will appear in the next over, but I can see there was only one run from it.
This is heartwarming news for Team India, and for humanity, if not necessarily for Ben Stokes’ Test average.
🚨 UPDATE 🚨: R Ashwin set to rejoin #TeamIndia from Day 4 of the 3rd India-England Test.#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBankhttps://t.co/rU4Bskzqig
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 18, 2024
64th over: India 246-3 (Kuldeep 26, Jaiswal 104) Just before that run-out, England declined to review a big LBW appeal when Kuldeep missed a sweep off Hartley. They were right not to review it, because they only have one left and couldn’t risk it on a tailender, but replays showed it would have been out. The mounting frustration probably led to the run-out, actually, because there was a bristling impatience in Stokes’s throw.
The new batter is the old batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Shubman Gill is 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 on 9⃣1⃣ 💥#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/cpJbvV43ax
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) February 18, 2024
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WICKET! India 246-3 (Gill run out 91)
Shubman Gill misses out on a century in very frustrating fashion. Kuldeep came down the track and scuffed Hartley just short of Stokes at mid-on. Gill set off, was sent back and couldn’t make his ground before Hartley collected Stokes’ angry throw and broke the stumps.
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63rd over: India 241-2 (Gill 86, Kuldeep 26) Kuldeep has time to steer Wood past the solitary slip for four, which brings up the fifty partnership. He enjoyed that shot, and walked straight down the pitch to show Gill how he did it. He has a good chance of a first Test fifty, especially as England are now down to their last review.
They went upstairs for LBW against Kuldeep, but the third umpire decided – based on some slightly confusing vuisual evidence – that it hit the bat first and then the pad. I’d like to see that again, not that it really matters in the grand scheme.
62nd over: India 235-2 (Gill 85, Kuldeep 22) Kuldeep smears Hartley back over his head for four. The fact the nightwatchman is batting so comfortably is a peculiar kind of positive for England, as it shows the pitch is still essentially good for batting. Might change when Kuldeep bowls on it, mind.
61st over: India 230-2 (Gill 84, Kuldeep 18) Mark Wood replaces Anderson and concedes a couple of singles. There’s a case for keeping him out of the attack today, with the fourth Test in mind, though England don’t really think like that. Plan as if you’ll live forever, sure, but don’t forget to live like you’ll die tomorrow.
“‘A total in excess of 400’ to chase?’” writes Patrick Ferriday. “I should have thought 550 looks a minimum at this stage.”
Oh I know. What I meant, and am evidently too tired to convey properly, is that Bazball England have never had to chase more than 399. I’d imagine watching the opposition’s lead rattle through the 400s (or the 600s) is a uniquely miserable experience. If so, England are about to enter a world of pain.
60th over: India 228-2 (Gill 83, Kuldeep 17)
59th over: India 225-2 (Gill 82, Kuldeep 15) Kuldeep top-edges a pull off Anderson taht lands safely. “He’d probably give up 100 of his Test wickets to bounce someone out again,” chuckles Graeme Swann on commentary.
Anderson isn’t chuckling when Gill ends the over with the sweetest of pushes through extra cover for four. At his best he plays with a stillness and elegance that is arguably unmatched in world cricket.
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58th over: India 219-2 (Gill 77, Kuldeep 14) Another short ball from Hartley, who looks mentally very weary, is pulled easily for four by Gill. He is closing in on another second-innings century.
If you’re an England fan and you’re just starting to wake up, don’t.
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57th over: India 214-2 (Gill 72, Kuldeep 14) For the third consecutive over, Anderson concedes just a single. He’s bowling accurately but there’s no movement and he doesn’t look like dismissing the nnightwatchman Kuldeep, never mind Gill. It’s still a pretty good pitch.
56th over: India 213-2 (Gill 71, Kuldeep 14) A drag down from Hartley is walloped to the cover boundary by Kuldeep. This England team are optimistic to a fault, but even they are struggling to project positive body language. India lead by 339.
55th over: India 208-2 (Gill 70, Kuldeep 10) Another tight over from Anderson. England are going to have to take their medicine in the field for the next few hours. They’ve never been in this position since Ben Stokes became captain: India’s lead is 334, and at some stage today England will be asked to chase a total in excess of 400 for the first time since 2021.
54th over: India 207-2 (Gill 69, Kuldeep 10) The first big shot of the day comes from the nightwatchman Kuldeep, who charges Hartley and drives handsomely over wide long on for six. That’s the first six of his international career.
53rd over: India 200-2 (Gill 68, Kuldeep 4) There are rumours that Ravichandran Ashwin is on his way back to Rajkot and may play some part in the game. That would be great news, especially as it would suggest his mum is okay.
Jimmy Anderson opens at the other end, aiming to improve on unbecoming bowling figures of 6-1-32-0. He does, a little: by the end of the over they are 7-1-33-0.
That quick single from Gill inside, India are in no hurry. They want to grind England down, let the pitch deteriorate and put more overs in the legs of Anderson and Mark Wood. The fourth Test is less than a week away.
52nd over: India 199-2 (Gill 66, Kuldeep 4) A lively start to the day, with Gill taking a quick single to Stokes at mid-off from Hartley’s first ball. Three from the over.
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The players are on the field and Tom Hartley will open the bowling. Let’s play darts.
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Preamble
Then put your little hand in mine
There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the third day of the third Test in Rajkot. England will resume on 207 for two, a deficit of 238, with a great chance of taking control of the match and the series. India are without Ravichandran Ashwin, and if England bat all day there will be no way back for India.
YEAH, IF ONLY. England would have loved to wake up to Sonny and Cher this morning, like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, with the chance do yesterday all over again. While their batting performance was nowhere near as irresponsible as some of the more entitled criticism might suggest, they did miss a fantastic opportunity to set up a potential victory. Or, rather, they had it taken away from them. India were magnificent, a great team reasserting their supremacy in a time of extreme adversity. Joe Root’s ill-timed scoop gave them an in; they took a mile.
India will resume on 196 for two, a whopping lead of 322. Realistically the game is up for England, but the fourth Test starts here: the manner of the defeat will reverberate, so England need to make some positives: wickets for their spinners, low scores for Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel, runs for Root and Jonny Bairstow, miles in the Indian bowlers’ legs. They’ll take anything.
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