Rajkot (Gujarat) [India] : An explosive unbeaten partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan helped India to set a mammoth total of 557 runs to chase for the England on Day 4 of the ongoing third Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Sunday.
At Tea on Day 4, England are struggling at 18/2 as team still needs 359 runs to win the Rajkot Test.
India resumed the second session of day four from 314/4 with Yashasvi Jaiswal (149*) and Sarfaraz Khan (22*) on the crease. The hosts continue to dominate the game with a lead of 440 runs.
Both the batters completed their hundred-run partnership in just 88 balls as Sarfaraz slammed a boundary of the first ball of the 87th over which was bowled by experienced seamer James Anderson.
The right-hand debutant completed his second consecutive fifty as he smashed a boundary on the fourth ball of the 96th over which was bowled by leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.
Jaiswal brought up his second double ton in red-ball cricket in the first ball of the next over (97th over) as he took a single off Anderson’s bowling.
India declared their second innings after scoring 430 runs with the loss of four wickets and set a mammoth total of 557 runs to chase for the visitors in order to take a lead in the ongoing five-match series.
Jaiswal and Sarfaraz finished their innings at unbeaten 214* runs laced by 14 fours and 10 sixes and 68* runs with the help of six boundaries and three sixes respectively. Both the batters build an unbeaten partnership of 172 runs.
Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawly came to the crease to chase a huge total. The Three Lions didn’t have a start that the side wanted as they lost the wicket of Duckett through a runout in the seventh over.
Just before Tea, in the eighth over the visitors lost their second second wicket as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Crawly after scoring just 11 runs.
The fourth day started with India standing at 196/2, with Gill (65*) and Kuldeep Yadav (3*) unbeaten on the crease.
As the first session continued Gill and Kuldeep built a strong partnership. The 24-year-old India opener smashed 9 fours and 2 sixes during his time on the crease. However, Gill was unlucky to miss his second century of the ongoing series for just nine runs. He was run out for 91 runs in the 64th over by a joint effort from Ben Stokes and Tom Hartley.
After Gill’s wicket, Jaiswal came back on the pitch and now stands at 149*. Earlier on day three, Jaiswal was retired hurt after sustaining an injury.
The second wicket of the day came after English spinner Rehan Ahmed dismissed Kuldeep for 27 runs. Kuldeep resisted 91 balls after being the nightwatchman but fell short infront infront of the English spin attack.
After Kuldeep’s dismissal, Sarfaraz came on the field. Soon after coming, the 26-year-old started hitting as he smashed 2 fours and 1 overhead boundary.
Jaiswal and Sarfaraz have already built a 56-run partnership after facing 6 balls. The hosts continue to get an upper hand on the Rajkot Test as in the last 10 overs of the first session on day four, India scored 56 runs, meanwhile, England failed to bag a wicket.
Brief Score: England 319 & 18/2 (Zak Crawly 11, Ben Duckett 4, Jasprit Bumrah 1/8) vs India 445 & 430/4 decl. (Yashasvi Jaiswal 214*, Shubman Gill 91, Tom Hartley 1/78).
