After levelling up the series in the second test of the series, the India national cricket team aimed to replicate the fine form leading into the third match of the 5 test series. Heading on over to the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium for the third test, the home nation would once again hope to counter the ‘Bazball’ strategy applied by their English opposition that proved so effective in the first test matches, compounding further on top of the batting prowess a number of their players displayed in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup that has also carried over to this highly competitive series.
India Elect To Bat First On Day 1
The start of day 1 began with the coin toss, in which the India national cricket team won, choosing to take to the crease and bat first. This turned out to be a key decision that paid off well as the home nation saw their top order batsmen make substantial contributions from the get go.
Captain Rohit Sharma took charge with a superb innings managing 131 runs from 196 balls, displaying his overall resilience and skill to effectively manage the aggressive bowling of the England cricket team. Ravindra Jadeja complemented this performance with an impressive innings as well, scoring 112 runs from 225 deliveries, guiding his nation to a formidable total of 445 runs in their opening stint. Mark Wood stood out as the key bowler for England, securing four crucial wickets for 114 runs in 27.5 overs, with Rehan Ahmed also leaving his mark, claiming two wickets for 85 runs in 22 overs.
A Steep Total To Match For England
In reply, England confronted a challenging situation against the formidable Indian bowling attack who had already been clinical in prior tests. Among England’s batting highlights was an outstanding performance by Ben Duckett, who crafted an impressive innings of 153 runs from 151 balls, offering significant resistance.
Nevertheless, the English batsmen faced difficulties against the relentless Indian bowling attack, with the next top run scorer being captain Ben Stokes who only managed 41 runs from 89 balls before being caught out by Jasprit Bumrah. These low batting totals were persistent across England’s batting lineup and ultimately, only managed to accumulate a total of 319 runs in their first innings, trailing by 126 runs going into the second innings.
India Continue To Dominate In Second Innings
Entering the second innings, India continued to showcase their dominance. Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered an outstanding performance in hist stint at the crease, compiling an unbeaten double century with 214 runs from 236 balls, hitting 14 fours and 12 sixes in the process, having an overall strike rate of 90.68. Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan added value contributions managing 91 and 68 runs respectively, helping the home side declare a score of 430 runs after the end of their second innings, only conceding 4 wickets in the process.
England Dismantled In Their Attempt To Respond
Confronted with a substantial deficit, England encountered a demanding second innings. Current IPL and Lucknow Super Giants player Mark Wood displayed some initial promise thanks to a rapid 33 runs from just 15 balls, however, was swiftly dispatched after Ravindra Jadeja provided a tricky ball which resulted in Wood being caught out by Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Following this, Ravindra Jadeja’s exceptional bowling prowess took centre stage in England’s second innings as he secured five pivotal wickets for 41 runs in 12.4 overs. First test hero Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Ben Foakes were all bowled out by the left arm spinner, effectively dismantling the English batting lineup.
Landslide Victory For India
Having England dismissed for a mere 122 runs in their second innings, India clinched a comprehensive win by 434 runs, the largest margin of victory in a test and England’s second biggest defeat. This triumph not only propels India into the lead in the series but also underscores their supremacy in both batting and bowling aspects. The team’s collective performance sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated continuation of the series, with England hoping to bounce back from 2 back to back defeats in which they have been outshone by the home nation.
Stay tuned at Cricket Today for full match breakdowns and coverage of the 2024 India vs England test cricket series. We will keep you updated on all the happenings in this matchup, which has already showcased some remarkably impressive cricket.
