Jaiswal stars in India’s record 434-run win
YASHASVI JAISWAL became only the third Indian batsman to score consecutive Test double hundreds as India completed a record 434-run win against England in the third Test yesterday.
Jaiswal was 214 not out – following on from his 209 in Visakhapatnam – as India declared at 430-4 (98 overs) in their second innings, thus setting the touring side an improbable 557 runs for victory.
England were then routed for 122 runs (39.4 overs) in just over one session, falling to their heaviest Test defeat (by runs) since World War II. England’s biggest defeat by runs in Test cricket was by 562 against Australia in 1934.
Ravindra Jadeja picked up 5-41 to bowl India to what seemed an unlikely day four win, as the hosts took a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series. India won the second Test by 106 runs after England beat the hosts by 28 runs in the opener.
It was India’s biggest Test win by runs. Their previous best came in a 372-run victory over New Zealand at Mumbai in 2021.
“When you are playing Test cricket, it is not played over twothree days,” said Indian skipper Rohit Sharma.
“We do understand the importance of playing over five days. England played well and put us under pressure (on days one and two). I am really proud of how we came back the next day. The message was to stay calm because we have got class in our bowling attack.”
Post lunch, Jaiswal followed in the footsteps of Vinod Kambli (1993) and Virat Kohli (2017) as he scored a magnificent double hundred off 231 balls.
He added 172 runs off only 158 balls with Sarfaraz Khan, who scored a second consecutive halfcentury in his debut match.
It was an exceptional hitting performance from the two young batters as India scored 116 runs in just 16 overs at more than seven runs per over.
Jaiswal smashed five more sixes, taking his innings tally to 12. It was the most sixes hit by an Indian batter in a Test innings.
For his part, Khan hit three sixes, bringing up his half-century off 65 balls. He finished with 68 not out off 72 balls.
It was a complete change of gears from the morning session when India scored 118 runs in 31 overs. Shubman Gill was run out for 91, while night watchman Kuldeep Yadav had scored 27 runs, as India reached 314-4 at lunch.
Jaiswal, who had retired hurt in the evening of day three after scoring 104 runs, returned thereafter to plunder the English bowling attack. At 22 years and 52 days, he became the thirdyoungest batter after Kambli (21 years 54 days) and Australia’s Don Bradman (21 years 318 days) to score consecutive Test double hundreds.
Faced with a monstrous target, England collapsed under the weight of expectation. They were 28-4 in 11.1 overs, and then 50-7 in 24.4 overs.
They went to tea at 18-2 from 8.2 overs – first innings’ centurion Ben Duckett was run out following a mix-up, while his partner Zack Crawley was out leg before wicket to Jasprit Bumrah (1-18).
The fourth Test begins in Ranchi on Friday.