ENGLAND’s sweeping tendencies came up a cropper on the fourth day of Rajkot Test as they folded for 122 in chase of a mammoth 557. Ravindra Jadeja doubled up his first-innings century with a five-wicket haul in the fourth to pave the way for India’s biggest Test win by runs – 434 runs.
Before India bamboozled England with the ball through spin, they spent nearly two sessions dazzling the visitors with the bat via Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan. On a placid surface, the pair smashed their way to personal milestones while India amassed a lead of 556 before Rohit Sharma decided to declare.
The day began with Shubman Gill setting sights on his second century of the series, only to fall nine short through a poor run out against the run of play. Kuldeep Yadav looked solid for the 91 balls he faced but England dismissed both in the opening session in the hope of restricting India’s lead.
The opposite transpired in the little more than a spell that followed as Jaiswal walked out on 104 after retiring hurt with back spasm on Day 3. He showed no signs of carrying the injury as he arrived all guns blazing against the England spinners. Sarfaraz too was aggressive, giving a small glimpse of the absolute mayhem that ensued in the post-Lunch session.
Jaiswal was audacious against the most experienced – hitting James Anderson for three successive sixes. England set up a seven-two field, packing the offside against the left-hander, but he walked across and slog swept the pacer behind square. He then danced down and smashed one over deep extra cover and capped off the incredible over with a big six down the ground. On the way to a stunning double century, Jaiswal equalled the record for the most sixes in an innings in Tests with Wasim Akram with 12. Jaiswal also became only the third batter after Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli to score double tons in two successive Tests.
Sarfaraz also tonked his way to his second half-century of the game, with Joe Root and Tom Hartley bearing the brunt of his stroke-making. The pair whacked 116 off 16 overs in the second session before Rohit declared and asked England to chase 557.
An England team that has aced fourth-innings chases recently, were put through the sword by India spinners, and they couldn’t emerge unscathed. Even as their missteps began with bad running, England were then consumed by their inability to sweep their way out of trouble against Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and R Ashwin, who was chartered in from Chennai just before the final session having temporarily left the squad on Day 2 owing to a personal emergency.
England began the final session on 18 for 2 and were rocked very quickly by Jadeja, who got one ball outside the off-stump to grip and lured Ollie Pope into nicking one to Rohit Sharma at first slip. Jonny Bairstow’s lean phase with the bat continued when he attempted and missed a sweep shot to get trapped plumb in front off Jadeja, leaving England on 28 for 4.
Joe Root brought a lot of restraint to his game in this innings but he too fell for the sweep, becoming Jadeja’s third victim. The game swiftly moved away from England when Ben Stokes fell – also to the sweep – against Kuldeep Yadav, pushing the chasing side to 50 for 6. Rehan Ahmed then found the only deep fielder at long on while trying to hit his way out, leaving England on 50 for 7 and enroute to concede the fixture. Dhruv Jurel, who has had a fantastic Test behind the stumps, took a sharp catch to send Ben Foakes packing.
Tom Hartley arrived and threw his bat around briefly, before inside edging a tossed up delivery from Ashwin to walk off for 16. Mark Wood’s entertaining 33 off just 15 balls dragged England past the 100-run mark but that’s as far as they got as Jadeja dismissed him to complete his fifer and India’s victory. (Cricbuzz)
