Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased a stellar performance, slamming a sensational century against England in India's second innings of the Rajkot Test. The left-handed batsman, known for his aggressive style, initially played cautiously but unleashed a barrage of shots post-Tea to reach his century in a mere 122 balls. This marked Jaiswal's third Test century, building on the momentum from his outstanding double century in Visakhapatnam, following a near miss in the first Test and the second century of this series.
Jaiswal's onslaught began when he was at 35 off 73 balls, as he took on James Anderson, smashing him for a six and a couple of boundaries. His fifty came in emphatic fashion with a six off Tom Hartley in just 80 balls. The second half of his century was even more breathtaking, with the following fifty runs taking a mere 42 balls. Jaiswal's explosive batting has catapulted India into a dominant position in Rajkot, with the lead swelling to over 250.
In the preceding innings, India's bowlers made a significant impact on Day 3, as England was bowled out for 319, providing India with a 126-run lead. England, starting the day at 207-2, faced early setbacks with Bumrah dismissing Joe Root for 18, followed by Kuldeep Yadav removing Jonny Bairstow for a duck. The momentum continued to favor India as Ben Duckett fell for 153, courtesy of Kuldeep Yadav. From a promising 207-2, England stumbled to 260-5.
Ravindra Jadeja played a pivotal role by claiming the crucial wicket of Ben Stoakes at a team score of 299, triggering a collapse as England lost their last four wickets for a mere 20 runs. Mohammad Siraj impressed with four wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja contributed with two wickets each.
