IND vs ENG, 3rd Test: India vs England, Third Match - Who Said What?

India made a strong comeback after their initial setback in the opening Test against England in Hyderabad. They secured a convincing 106-run victory in the second game in Visakhapatnam, levelling the series 1-1. In Rajkot, they extended their dominance by defeating the opposition by a comfortable margin of 434 runs, claiming a 2-1 lead in the series. Key performances from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja played crucial roles in India's success against the Ben Stokes-led side.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the hosts posted a formidable total of 445, with Rohit Sharma leading the charge and securing his first century of the series, ending his innings at 131. Mark Wood dazzled for England, claiming four wickets. In response, Indian bowlers limited England to 319 runs.

In the third innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Sarfaraz Khan dominated, contributing significantly to India's imposing total. Jaiswal notched his second double century of the series, while Gill and Sarfaraz each scored half-centuries.

Facing a substantial target, the English team struggled under the pressure of the chase. Ravindra Jadeja starred with a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings, supported by Kuldeep Yadav's two wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah also chipped in with one wicket each as England were bundled out for just 122 runs. India claimed a resounding victory by 434 runs.

Here are the talking points of the match:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal hits second double-hundred in Tests

Emerging young batter, Jaiswal, continued his impressive form by delivering another outstanding performance in the series. In the third innings of the match, he scored a magnificent century, seizing control of the game from England with dominant batting. Jaiswal remained unbeaten at 214, facing 236 balls, adorned with 14 fours and 12 towering sixes. His stellar innings played a pivotal role in India securing their second victory of the series.

2. Ravindra Jadeja claims yet another five-wicket haul

Ravindra Jadeja displayed his all-round brilliance in the game, exhibiting his versatility. Initially, he played a crucial role by scoring a brilliant century when India faced a challenging situation in the first innings. Later in the match, he thoroughly bewildered the English team with a remarkable five-wicket haul, contributing significantly to India taking a 2-1 lead in the series. Jadeja's exceptional performance showcased his prowess both with the bat and the ball.

Losing Captain, Ben Stokes, England said: 

Ben Duckett played an unbelievable innings. That was the tone we wanted to set throughout the innings. It was about identifying that opportunity and getting as close to India's total. We wanted to bowl yesterday but it was earlier than when we wanted. Sometimes gameplans don't work and that was the case. Everyone's got a perception and opinion about things, the people in the dressing room is what matters to us. 1-2 down in the series and a great opportunity for us to come back and win the series. We leave this game behind and we know we have to win the next 2 games to win the series and that's what we'll look to do.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: Yashasvi Jaiswal smacks most sixes in a Test innings, levels with Pakistan legend

 Winning captain, Rohit Sharma, India said: 

When you are playing Test cricket, it is not played over 2-3 days. We do understand the importance of playing over 5 days. They played well and put us under pressure. We have got class in our bowling, the message was to stay calm and I'm really proud of how we came back the next day. When those things happen, it's a delight. For this game, we thought he has got so much experience and has got a lot of runs as well, we wanted that left-right combo, Sarfaraz with the quality he has got, we wanted him to have time. It's not a long-term view, we go with the flow and what we feel on that particular day, looking at the opposition, the bowling attack. We calculate everything and then go with the flow. Lots of turning points, was a good toss to win , we know how important in India it is to win the toss, the way we came back and bowled after that onslaught. The bowlers showed a lot of character, not to forget we did not have our most experienced bowler as well. With the bat we knew the job was half-done, those two youngsters got us the lead we wanted and obviously Jadeja with the ball in the 2nd innings was superb. [on Jaiswal] I have spoken a  lot about him, in Vizag as well, people outside the changeroom have spoken as well. I don't want to talk too much about him, he has started his career on a high, I want him to continue doing, yeah looks a good player.

 Player of the Match, Ravindra Jadeja, India said: 

I was just looking to build partnerships with Rohit, we were in a difficult situation, look to back my strengths, play my shots, not try and be more conscious. Watch the ball and play the ball. I know about this wicket, if we bat first, it is always good to bat on, in the second half it starts spinning, when Rohit won the toss, we were thinking: this is all what we wanted, bat first bowl second. On this wicket you won't get easy wickets, you have to work hard for it. You need to throw balls in good areas, you have to earn your wickets.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma hilariously sends back Jaiswal, Sarfaraz to continue batting on Day 4