That's it, folks
And with that India have completed a thoroughly dominant performance. We leave you with a promise for more next week, and a teaser from the final report.
India needed such a day. Just to send the message out to those who had started believing they could be taken down at home. A team in transition, India have lost three Tests in a little over three years, two more than they did in the preceding eight years, but in Rajkot they delivered an emphatic shellacking to their latest challengers: India’s biggest win by runs, and England’s second-biggest defeat, 434 runs. On a spring Sunday, with not a cloud in sight, in front of a big crowd, the batting took apart the visiting bowlers to set an impossible target before their bowlers turned the same pitch into a minefield. Along the way, they broke a handful of records while threatening just as many. It was first such dominance for the new set of batters.
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Five-for for Jadeja
To go with the century in the first innings, Ravindra Jadeja has become the first Indian spinner to get a five-for the series. There was some DRS drama before Mark Wood finally hit a catch to long-off. It brings India their biggest victory by runs, and England their second-biggest defeat. India win by 434 runs. They now lead 2-1.
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Ashwin goes to 501
R Ashwin now has 250 left-hand batters in his bag to go with 251 right-hand batters. Tosses up an offbreak, draws a bride from Tom Hartley, the ball turns less than expected, and the inside edge crashes onto the wicket. England 91 for 9.
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Day 4 finish back in the picture
Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley frustrated India for nearly half an hour, but Ravindra Jadeja has now gone past Foakes. Keeps getting him to defend forward before slipping in the flatter, quicker one. Foakes goes back to cut, gets a thick edge, and Dhruv Jurel's impressive debut continues. England 82 for 8. And now even if England are just eight down at stumps, India can claim the extra half hour to try to finish this tonight.
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50 for 4, 50 for 5, 50 for 6, 50 for 7
Three wickets on the same score. India couldn't do anything wrong even if they wanted to. Rehan Ahmed tries a big shot down the ground for a change, picks the right ball, goes with the turn, but he has picked out the only man back, Mohammed Siraj. This could get over anytime now.
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Now Ben Stokes goes
A third batter lbw to the sweep. The shot that tormented India in Hyderabad. When everybody decided that was the best way to play spin, and India's was flawed. It is never so absolute. The sweep is a good shot, which works, but at times it doesn't. Like in this innings. Ben Stokes is beaten on the sweep to Kuldeep Yadav. It is 50 for 6.
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Half the side out
Joe Root has fought hard for 40 balls, but there is no getting away from a difficult pitch and accurate Indian bowling. They are not having to do much. Some balls are keeping low, some bouncing extra. Some turning, some not. Eventually Root falls on the sweep, choosing a ball too full for the shot. He still has bowled more overs this series than he has scored runs. England 50 for 5.
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Bumrah 8-1-18-1
Four overs each either side of tea, and Jasprit Bumrah has given England's top order a thorough examination. He has managed to get movement off the surface on the fourth afternoon. And he has been accurate. Top-class fast bowling. England 41 for 4.
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This could end tonight
England are falling like nine pins. Jonny Bairstow, in the middle of a horror series, has tried a big sweep off Ravindra Jadeja, missed it altogether and has been trapped right in front. England 28 for 4.
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Pope is gone
A sharp catch by Rohit Sharma at first slip as Ollie Pope tries to cut Ravindra Jadeja. There is just enough turn in the pitch to defeat that shot, and credit to the quick reflexes from Rohit. Can England take this into tomorrow?
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Ashwin back on the field
R Ashwin has made it back to Rajkot, and is back on the field. That is great relief in terms of the challenge he and his family faced. And play has resumed after tea.
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Openers gone before tea
The new ball has done nothing for India for eight overs until this one suddenly nips back in, goes past Zak Crawley's defensive prod, and hits him on the top of the knee roll. Kumar Dharmasena has ruled it out and the review is not enough to overturn it. It is clipping top of leg. England 18 for 2 at tea. India all over the visitors. Also time for tea.
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Duckett is run-out
The clarity for which this team is known has been missing in this innings. It has culminated in the run-out of Ben Duckett for 4 off 15. He pushes one towards mi-on and sets off, it is his call, but Zak Crawley has never led him on. He has said no immediately, and there is no single here.
Now Mohammed Siraj has been quick, and he is trying a direct hit, but the real work has been done by Dhruv Jurel. He has come charging in, collected it on the move, off a half-volley, and broken the wicket. England 16 for 1 in the seventh over. The first time they have lost their first wicket for under 40.
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Bazball not Bazballing
England have got off to a watchful start in the second innings. Two maidens first up, 12 balls for Ben Duckett to get off the mark, and only 10 runs in the first five overs. They are settling in for the long haul. There is no assistance for the new ball either in the air or off the pitch.
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Sixes records tumble
48 Number of sixes India have hit this series, beating their record for 47 sixes in a series, against South Africa in 2018-19. Also the 28 sixes in this match breaks the record for most sixes in a match, going past their 27 sixes in the Vizag Test in the same series in 2018-19.
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England have been set 557
Some relief for England a India finally pull the plug with 430 for 4 on the board. Yashasvi Jaiswal goes back unbeaten on 214, and Sarfaraz Khan on 68. Ten more minutes, and there would have been temptation to wait for Sarfaraz's century. Jaiswal ends on 12 sixes, level with the world record for most sixes in an innings.
All the fireworks - 172-run partnership in 26.2 overs - have given India around 130 overs to bowl England out in.
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400 * 2
3 This is only the third time India have scored 400 in both the innings of a Test match
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Jaiswal equals world record
12 Number of sixes Yashasvi Jaiswal has hit in this innings. Immediately after reaching the double-century, he celebrated it back-to-back sixes off Joe Root. He is now level with Wasim Akram's 12 sixes in his 257 against Zimbabwe back in 1996
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Double century for Jaiswal
Three decades ago, a young man from Mumbai took Test cricket by storm with two double-centuries in a row. Yashasvi Jaiswal, another young man from Mumbai, has now scored two double-centuries. He has absolutely bossed and dominated this England attack, and taken them for what they are: an inexperienced unbalanced unit.
He is also the third-youngest man to two double-centuries in Tests, behind Vinod Kambli and Don Bradman. India have also reached 400. Now for some fireworks?
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Fifty for Sarfaraz Khan
Two fifties on debut. Both fairly quick dominating innings having come into bat in a dominating position. It has all been worth the wait. He is the fourth Indian to do so.
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Lead goes past 500
England have managed to slow these two down ever so slightly with defensive fields and bowling in the rough, but the 10 overs since lunch have still brought 66 runs. India's lead has gone past 500, and Jaiswal is in his 190s.
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Most sixes in an innings
10 Number of sixes Yashasvi Jaiswal has hit in this innings, which is the most for an Indian in a Test innings, going past Navjot Sidhu and Mayank Agarwal's record of eight each. The overall record is 12 by Wasim Akram. It is under serious threat here.
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Jaiswal breaks Rohit's record
20 With three consecutive sixes off James Anderson, Yashasvi Jaiswal has got to 20 sixes for the series, beating the record Rohit Sharma set against South Africa in 2019-20. That was a three-Test series, and Jaiswal is also in the third Test of this series.
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150 for Jaiswal
James Anderson starts the session bowling wide outside off with a 7-2 field. One of the balls in the first over is called a wide too. Yashasvi Jaiswal finally gets a single to get to 150. Another 50, and he could emulate another Mumbai batter from three decades ago who scored double-centuries in consecutive Tests, Vinod Kambli.
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India get to a delicious lunch
Another session dominated by India. First by Kuldeep Yadav, and then by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan. Shubman Gill was unfortunate to be run-out for 91, which is incidentally the same score as his best innings in Tests to date, in that historic Gabba chase.
Jaiswal has shown the hunger for runs, and resumed his innings as soon as a wicket fell. He had retired-hurt with back pain ast evening. Towards the end of the session, both Jaiswal and Sarfaraz got into am hitting competition. They have added 56 in no time to take India's lead to 440. The new ball has not been taken. This next session doesn't promise to be a pretty one for England.
Jaiswal goes into lunch on 149, an innings that includes seven sixes.
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Hitting exhibition now
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Just before the new ball is available, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan have taken a six each off Joe Root in one over. India now lead by 425. Jaiswal has 19 sixes in seven Tests. Phenomenal.
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It's all about Kuldeep
Nearly an hour and a half into the day, Kuldeep Yadav has finally got out, but even when doing so he has resulted in an injury for Joe Root, who runs to the physio as soon as he completes the catch.
In the 90 minutes on the pitch, Kuldeep has messed around with the bowlers, messed with the captain into two wrong reviews, messed with Shubman Gill, and now given some pain to Root at first slip when he has edged Rehan Ahmed.
Gone for 27 off 91, including having hit his only six in international cricket.
PS: Root is fine, and bowling.
Sarfaraz Khan now bats ahead of Ravindra Jadeja. India 258 for 4, a lead of 384.
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Kuldeep frustrates everybody including Gill
Kuldeep Yadav, like any nightwatch, has been such a break in the rhythm that everyone is off their game. Ben Stokes has burnt one review when the bowler seems to be suggesting he might have hit it. Then he fails to take the review when Kuldeep is in front on the sweep.
However, the ultimate disruption happens when he charges at Tom Hartley, hits wide of mid-on, but doesn't come through for one. Shubman Gill, on 91, run-out and absolutely livid.
Kuldeep is down the wicket, takes a couple of steps down, and then just stutters and stops. Sold him down the river.
The good news for India is that Yashasvi Jaiswal is back to bat. So it was a precaution yesterday and not an injury.
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Fifty for the partnership
This is what tends to happen when you are somewhere near 350 for 2. even the morning session begins to look easy. Kuldeep Yadav and Shubman Gill have now added 50 for the third wicket. Kuldeep has scored 26 of those, including the deft late-cut to bring up the milestone. India are 241 for 2, which translates to a lead of 367.
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Kuldeep Yadav the batter
Kuldeep Yadav, used twice as the nightwatch, has now batted on three of the four days this Test. He has seen two evening sessions off, and started on two morning. And he has celebrated it by hitting his first six in international cricket by skipping down against Tom Hartley and lofting him over wide long-on. India effectively 334 for 2.
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Ashwin on his way back
Kuldeep Yadav told the host broadcasters early this morning that R Ashwin might come back. ESPNcricinfo understands he is on his way back. That is great news because it suggests things must be better at home. Our thoughts and prayers with him and his family.
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Watch out for the first hour
There has been close to 20 hours of play in this Test so far for 22 wickets. Seven of those wickets have fallen in the first hour of the first three days. So the first hour is at least twice as likely to take wickets than the others. England will hope to be at their best and have some luck to go with it to get the most of this first hour and find a way back into the Test. Otherwise India are this close to batting them out of the game. India lead by 322, have eight wickets in hand, and pretty soon they will have to start thinking of a declaration if wickets don't fall. Welcome to day four.
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Has this series got away from England?
Finally India are dominating as was expected of them against a four-man attack whose spinners made their debuts on this tour. They end the day leading by 322 with eight wickets in hand. We leave you with a teaser from the end-of-the-day report. See you tomorrow
“Even when it was 200 for 2, guys were pretty relaxed. You know, in a session, there is four or five that could come your way." The man who said those words might have pulled out of the Test overnight for personal reasons, but the Indian attack was good enough to vindicate him with eight wickets in a session and a half as India roared back from the shock of a sensational Ben Duckett hundred on day two. Kuldeep Yadav softened England up with an excellent spell that virtually ran through the first session, and Mohammed Siraj capitalised on it in the second session as India took the last eight wickets for just 95 runs. With a first-innings lead of 126 secured, India’s batters finally got down to scoring the runs that should be scored of an inexperienced and inaccurate attack. Riding on a sparkling century from Yashasvi Jaiswal, India ended the day with a lead of 322, which is 87 more than what they still had in the bank at the start of the day. That is probably why R Ashwin was confident of a comeback on a pitch that was likely to only get worse for batting.
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Patidar goes
Oh how these things happen. A long hop just sits in the surface for a millisecond, enough to defeat him and turn a pull into an easy catch for midwicket. Tom Hartley is also embarrassed he has got a wicket for this. India 191 for 2, a lead of 317. In comes nightwatch Kuldeep Yadav.
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Jaiswal retires-hurt
Yashavi Jaiswal has some back trouble. The physio has been on the field twice. He is struggling, but carrying on.
PS: One over later, Jaiswal has decided to walk off. Retire-hurt for 104. There are only three days between this Test and the next so it is a smart move to take him off and look after him and get him ready for Ranchi
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Fifty for Gill
Shubman Gill has, at times, looked like a silent observer in this partnership, but he has reached fifty off just 98 balls, the landmark coming up with an emphatic pulled six off Mark Wood. This innings has displayed his maturity, a slight bit of technical tweak, and the smartness to not compete with Jaiswal shot for shot. He has scored just 56 in a partnership worth 153. India are 183 for 1, a lead of 309.
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Samshing hundred from Jaiswal
An innings to match Ben Duckett's yesterday. Sensational stroke-play from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has scored 65 in his last 49 balls. He has paid England back in kind. The difference is: England's attack is shallower, less experienced and less accurate. He has hit them to all parts: hooks, sweeps, reverse-sweeps, lofts down the ground, and the cut in front of the wicket to bring up his hundred. India finally batting England out of the game. They are 168 for 1 in 40 overs, a lead of 294. They still have 50 minutes left to add more.
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To Bazball, India raise Jaisball
Well not out of the blocks, but Yashasvi Jaiswal is batting at pace that will make Brendon McCullum proud. He has gone from 35 off 73 to 88 off 101: 53 runs in just 28 balls. The icing on the cake is two reverse-swept boundaries off Rehan Ahmed. And they are those England-style reverse-sweeps where you switch your stance but not your grip, which allows you more power in your shots. He is in his seventh Test but has hit 18 sixes already.
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Root is back to bowl again
89 Number of overs Joe Root has bowled in the series. He has scored just 70 runs. Yet he has been their best spinner
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Fifty for Jaiswal
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With a calculated assault on James Anderson, Yashasvi Jaiswal moves from 35 to 49, and ten biffs Tom Hartley for a six over long-on to move to 55 off just 80 balls. Then celebrates it with another. That also takes India past 100, a lead of 233 now.
Jaiswal has now hit 16 sixes, and he is in just his seventh Test.
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Gill is moving back and across
Shubman Gill is not like a lot of other batters. Batters prefer to prepare themselves for movement either with a back-and-across movement before the ball is released or they move forward to cut down the movement. Gill's game generally is less complicated. His back foot is inside the crease, he moves across along where he stands, but only marginally, and his front foot just opens ever so slightly. His weight is evenly balanced, and he plays most good balls with just the transfer of the weight from that position.
However, it would appear that possibly leaves him susceptible to the moving ball. That's because he doesn't get on the line of off, and then ends up playing away from the body. In this innings, though, Gill's movement is proper back and across and well defined. Seems like something he has been working on, and this innings is a good time to put into practice as less rides on this than usual.
India 62 for 1, a lead of 188.
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Wood and Hartley start the final session
Mark Wood and Tom Hartley, both bowlers to have troubled Shubman Gill earlier in the series, have started the final session of the day. India get singles in both the overs.
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India will love their tea
India's best session in this Test. They took five wickets for just 29 runs, and then moved to 44 for 1 themselves. There is not much happening for England yet, which has given the batters yet another chance to stamp their authority against a mediocre attack. India are technically 170 for 12 with seven sessions still left in the Test.
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Rohit falls to Root
With not much happening off the pitch, with India looking comfortable, Rohit Sharma tries to sweep Joe Root, and is beaten in the air. The ball is too full, hits the pad on the half-volley, and Ben Stokes successfully gets it reserved. India 30 for 1, a lead of 156.
In comes Shubman Gill. On a pair.
PS: He breaks the pair with a loft over midwicket. Takes advantage of the attacking field.
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Wood back on the field
In the fifth over of the innings, Mark Wood is back on the field. So he can start bowling in 15 minutes or so. India 13 for 0, a lead of 139.
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Wood not on the field
Hopefully it is just running repairs but Mark Wood has not taken the field at the start of India's innings. England have opened with James Anderson and Joe Root, with Rohit Sharma taking two boundaries from Anderson's first over.
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Spinners?
0 Number of four-fors for India spinners so far. We are bang in the middle session of the middle day of the middle Test, and half the innings of the Test have ended. Fast bowlers have taken four four-fors for India.
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England bowled out for 319
Just a reminder what a great attack this is. England had them a little shocked yesterday, but they knew they were still ahead in the game. They knew the pitch would offer them that slight extra help they need on day three. And each bowler brought a unique threat. It is Mohammed Siraj who has run through the lower order. Another full ball to James Anderson, beats the outside edge, pegs back the off stump. Siraj ends with four, his best figures at home. Kuldeep and Jadeja have two each. Bumrah and Ashwin one each. The last eight wickets have fallen for 95 runs. India lead by 126 runs. Onus again on their batters to finish the job this time, and bat England out of the game.
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Jurel on the board
What do we know about the angle and the rough? Ravindra Jadeja now has two left-hand batters from the angle from around the wicket. Tom Hartley runs down at him for a third time, and this one just goes on with the angle to beat his outside edge. Dhruv Jurel gets his first dismissal. An easy stumping. It's 314 for 9 now.
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The yorker
Speed in the air. Slight swing. Right on the crease. Rehan Ahmed gets some bat on it, but the ball flicks the off stump too. England 314 for 8. They have lost 6 for 107 today.
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One brings two again
England have lost their seventh wicket before reaching 300. Two wickets in two balls to two different bowlers. And the pitch is now playing tricks for sure. Normal seam-up delivery from Mohammed Siraj, but it stops on Ben Foakes, and the timing of the modern bats takes it to mid-on on the full.
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Jadeja gets Stokes
What do we know? That angle from around the wicket might just have brought India the big wicket. Ben Stokes tries the slog-sweep, but the ball just keeps going with the angle, thus probably creating a mis-hit for Jasprit Bumrah to catch in the deep. India will believe they are well ahead in this Test now, especially with England having to bat last. They are 299 for 6 now. That's 500 first-class wickets for Jadeja.
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Best wristspinner after Warne?
1 Number of spinners since Warne's retirement who average in the 20s with a cutoff of at least 40 wickets. And that one is Kuldeep Yadav, who has taken 40 wickets at 23.52. The next best average belongs to Yasir Shah, 31.38.
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Welcome back
Moahmmed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja have opened the second session. There is one curious thing here. Jadeja has been getting lbws from around the wicket against left-hand batters, but in this series that line hasn't been successful. Also there is some rough developing outside the off stump. Yet he is continuing around the wicket to Ben Stokes. That angle might be worth looking at at some point this innings.
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Kuldeep's morning
Kuldeep Yadav has practically bowled through the session for figures of 12-1-35-2 today. He has constantly tested both edges of all batters. He has looked in great rhythm, giving the ball a real rip and creating deception both in the air and off the pitch. Even Ben Stokes has struggled to pick the wrong'un. Jasprit Bumrah took the other wicket.
India will be happy with 83 for 3 in this session. They still have 155 runs in the bank. A lot rides on whether the pitch becomes flat in the last two sessions as it has on the first two days or if it continues to break up as this is the third day of the Test.
I expect Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja to start the next session. England 290 for 5 at lunch on day 3.
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Wide lines proved
We have been talking about how Kuldeep bowled wide to counter the Ben Duckett. Hree, Karthik Krishnaswamy has put numbers to it.
Yesterday, Kuldeep bowled 16 balls to Duckett, of which 13 either pitched in line with the stumps or outside leg. Today he bowled 17 balls to Duckett, of which 11 pitched outside off stump. There was a clear intent to bowl a wider line today, and force Duckett - if he wanted to play the shot - to sweep from outside off stump and against the turn. Plus I think he also bowled with more overspin, to get more dip and bounce and make that shot a little more difficult to play.
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Duckett falls finally
Out for a magnificent 153. Anticlimactic end in the end. Kuldeep has taken his line wide, but this one is short too. Duckett c an hit it anywhere he wants, but it stops a touch on him, turns a little more than expected, and he ends up lobbing it straight to cover. This pitch is misbehaving just that little bit extra today. As expected too. It's 260 for 5 now.
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Not in so much control
19 Number of false responses India have drawn in 13 overs this morning. That's one per four balls. Yesterday India drew 36 false responses in 35 overs, one every six balls. We will soon find out if it is the early-morning moisture or if it will continue getting difficult as times goes on.
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Things are happening
7 Number of wickets, out of 14, to have fallen in the first hour of the day this Test. England will hope that the movement India enjoyed in the first hour is that trend continuing, and not the deterioration of the pitch because Kuldeep Yadav has found varying degrees of turn from similar areas, which can spell trouble if that becomes a regular occurrence. Forty in the first hour for two wickets with Kuldeep moving his line wide to counter Duckett's sweeping. Duckett and Stokes still stand tall. England 247 for 4. Not
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150 for Duckett
He is not looking all that comfortable this morning, but Ben Duckett has reached 150. A reverse-sweep is nearly caught. Another one is edged but safe. Things are happening quickly, but we can take a moment to appreciate the innings this has been. England 243 for 4.
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Duckett edges one boundary
1 Number of boundaries Ben Duckett has scored while not being in control. It is his 25th boundary. It has taken him to 148. And fittingly it has come off a bewitching slower ball from Jasprit Bumrah. Off the leading edge and over gully. England 238 for 4.
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Bairsnought
8 Number of times Jonny Bairstow has been out for nought against India, the most by any batter
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Like London buses
One brings two. Jonny Bairstow has been beaten completely in the air as he decides to play back to a length ball. And for once, the ball turns more than it has been turning so far. Beats the inside edge. Caught right in front. Middle of middle. I expected the pitch to play soome more tricks starting day three, and it is beginning to happen. England now 225 for 4.
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Sometimes Bazball can hurt Baz's team
England have India down on the mat and scrambling for ideas when Joe Root pulls out his reverse-ramp against Jasprit Bumrah. He doesn't get the desired elevation, and Yashasvi Jaiswal takes a sharp catch at second slip. To be fair to Root, this is only the second time Root has got out playing this shot. Until today, the returns from the shot read: 22 attempts, 60 runs, one dismissal. Now it reads a little less flattering: an average of 30.
Then again, the essence of Bazball is no consequence. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. England 224 for 3.
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The broom is out
In the fourth over of the day, Ben Duckett brings out the sweep. Plays deliberately in front of square because there is a deep square leg in place. There is no deep midwicket so the top edge lands safe.
Now the quandary for India here is that they have even got a deep cover for the reverse-sweep. If they put men out to block every sweep, they give away easy singles. Fascinating to see how India respond to this challenge.
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Start of day three
Devdut Padikkal is on the field for R Ashwin, who has left the Test midway because of a family emergency. Because it is not hot in Rajkot, the pitch has a bit of a tinge of green, according to Nick Knight.
A whole three days after the death of Dattajirao Gaekwad, until then India's oldest Test cricket, father of former player and coach Anshuman, India are wearing black arm bands today in his honour. Wonder who reminded the board. Sunil Gavaskar airs similar annoyance on air.
India have begun the morning with Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.
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A sombre note to begin day three on
"Five hundred is done and dusted," he said. "Now there is a game in the balance." R Ashwin was looking forward to the fight Bazball has brought to India. Then. Life. A family health emergency. Ashwin has left the Test midway. Our love and prayers and hopes and wishes with them as we carry on with the rest of the Test.
A delicious contest to report on regardless. England have laid the marker. Ben Duckett has played one of the great knocks by a visiting batter in India. England are still 238 behind, and even though they have one fewer bowler to face, India will be looking for more assistance from the pitch to make some of the sweeps and reverse-sweeps riskier options.
Day three begins in a half hour.
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Duckett's day out
We have reached stumps on day two with England 207 for 2 in just 35 overs. India still have 238 runs in the bag, but the rate at which England have gone without much apparent trouble will alarm them. Duckett has played one of the great away knocks in India at a staggering 85% control rate but also a strike-rate of 113. We leave you with a teaser from the end-of-the-day report. See you tomorrow.
A sensation century by Ben Duckett, at 88 balls the fastest against India, left the hosts shellshocked after they once again left some runs unscored in their first innings of 445. There was none of the streakiness you might associate with a century scored at this pace. None of his 19 fours and one six in the first 102 runs came off an edge. No bowler seemed to have a counter for his stroke-play: he pounced on any width from the quicks, swept and reverse-swept the spinners to distraction and then cashed in on the consequent shorter deliveries. Duckett scored 133 of the 207 England scored for the loss of two wickets in just 35 overs. India batted 45 overs in the first half of the day for the addition of just 119 runs to their overnight 326 for 5. The recurring theme of India losing wickets without a build-up or a discernible plan continued.
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Siraj produces the breakthrough
Oh the perfect delivery to get Ollie Pope out. One that behaves just like the famed wobble-seam ball from Mohammed Siraj does. Seaming in sharply, trapping Ollie Pope on the crease, and then also having to get it reversed through DRS. It is a wicket that brings India relief after a 93-run stand between Pope and Ben Duckett in just 16.5 overs. England 182 for 2.
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Duckett gets a sensational hundred
One of the great Test hundreds by a batter visiting India. In just 88 balls. Comes up with his 19th four, an on-drive drilled between Mohammed Siraj and his mid-on. This is the fastest Test century for an England batter against India. The third-fastest for anyone visiting India.
It has none of the streakiness you might associate with an 88-ball hundred. He has not been in control of just 14 balls out of 88. Not one of those boundaries is an edge. An 84% control rate when going at this strike rate is just sensational. India have been left shell-shocked. England 152 for 1 in just 26.1 overs.
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Duckett survives a Bumrah yorker
A great decision by Kumar Dharmasena. It is yet another sensational yorker from Jasprit Bumrah that has given India a chance, but Ben Duckett has just cued it off the inside edge of the toe of the bat. Inda have lost the review. Duckett will likely not get England's fastest hundred, but he has pushed India onto the back foot here. He is 79 off 72, England 118 for 1.
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No. 500 for Ashwin
R Ashwin has reached Mount 500. It has taken some time this series, but he has got India their first breakthrough this innings as the 500th. Zak Crawley gets a top edge on the sweep from outside leg. Ashwin's team-mates surround him to congratulate him. Only the second Indian to the mark. A moment to rejoice, but time to get back to the big job.
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England's fastest hundred under threat
76 Number of balls Gilbert Jessop took to get England's fastest Test hundred. Ben Duckett needs 32 off 33 to break the record.
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Opening salvo
4 Number of stands worth 50 or more in this series. Between 2018 and 2023, all visiting sides combined had four stands of 50 or more in India
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Duckett runs away to a fifty
Ben Duckett has left India stunned with an assault on the bowlers after tea, reaching 50 off just 39 balls. He has hit 11 fours in these 39 balls. Fielders running all over. They have reached 72 for 0 in the 11th over, their biggest opening stand of the series.
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Another good start for England
Once again, England have succeeded in denying India an early wicket. They go into tea without any damage. Their opening partnerships this series now read: 55, 45, 59, 50, and an unbeaten 31. England will take this session. They took the last three wickets for 57 runs, and have knocked of 31 off the runs. At tea on day two, they trail India by 414 with all their wickets in hand.
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Siraj is fine
Some icing probably in the 10-minute break. And the painkiller kicking in. So no internal damage with the blow on the knee, and Mohammed Siraj has opened the bowling with Jasprit Bumrah. At one point, England were 6 for 0 without a legal ball bowled: five from the penalty to India for running on the protected area, and one from a no-ball first up.
Interesting to note that Shubman Gill is still not back in the slips after having hurt his finger earlier during the series. So people behind the wicket are inexperienced: Dhruv Jurel the keeper on debut, Sarfaraz Khan at first slip on debut, Yashasvi Jaiswal at second slip, Rajat Patidar at gully in his second Test.
England 11 for 0 after two overs.
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India bowled out for 445
Mark Wood gets Jasprit Bumrah lbw with a slower one to end the innings. It leaves them about 28 minutes to bat before tea.
India will be pleased with the total from 33 for 3, but again from 237 for 3 and 314 for 4, they will feel they should have scored more. A total of 355 of these runs have come in three stands. That tells you the other didn't add much. Of these 90 other runs, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj added 30. So six other wickets lost for 60.
There has been more turn here than in Vizag. That will give India hope. There is good bounce in the pitch. We will be back soon.
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Siraj in pain
Mohammed Siraj is hit on the top of his knee when he is trying a reverse-sweep. The ball stays low and gets him on the portion not covered by the pad. He gets the lbw call reversed with an edge, and then at the end of the over, gets some magic spray on and takes a painkiller.
In the next over, though, he is scrambling for a two and he comes down in pain. He is now being treated on the field. Now he is being checked for his ligament and movement of the knee. Not looking good because he has to bowl pretty shortly.
Update: Siraj is back on his feet and is jogging through for runs. But if he is batting on and able to0 jog, it must be just the pain from the blow and no internal damage.
India 443 for 9. Bumrah 25 off 26.
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Bumrah gets going
Three lovely shots off the spinners, and Jasprit Bumrah is now 17 off 20. He has gone over mid-on twice, and then also driven over extra cover. He now has seven sixes in Test cricket. That's more than Vinod Kambli, Gundappa Viswanath, Dinesh Karthik, Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja and Prithvi Shaw among others. At after4noon drinks, India are 434 for 9.
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Jurel falls short of a fifty
Three sixes in a debut innings for India's newest wicketkeeper. All three delightful shots. The last of these, a loft over mid-off off Rehan Ahmed, brings him within a shot of a debut fifty. And with two balls left in the over, the field comes up. There is an opportunity to get it right here. And Ahmed has bowled short and given width. Jurel goes for the late-cut, which is totally on, but gets a thick edge. Ben Foakes is superb again. India 415 for 9
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Another "soft" dismissal
Nearly not. As James Anderson has fumbled this catch at mid-on but eventually managed to hold on. R Ashwin is clearly disappointed immediately. He has a "what have I just done" look on his face. He skips down the track to Rehan Ahmed, gets close enough to the pitch of the ball, and is looking to drive wide of mid-on, but ends up hitting it in the air and straight to him. Ahmed's first wicket this innings. Ashwin gone for a well-made 37. India 408 for 8.
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Now Stokes reprieves Jurel
The plan is laid out. A field for the short ball, which includes a leg slip. Jurel flicks the full ball straight to the leg slip where it goes at an awkward height to Ben Stokes, who likes to catch fingers pointing up. And it goes exactly at that in-between height where it becomes awkward for catching with fingers up. Jurel dropped on 32. India 401 for 7.
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You should be so lucky
Runs slowed down. India looking to build lead. Long hop. A wicketkeeper batter looking to cement his place in the side on strike. Pulls straight to midwicket. KS Bharat is caught in Vizag. Dhruv Jurel is dropped in Rajkot. By Ollie Pope.
For a moment it looks like Ben Stokes has pulled one out of the hat by getting Tom Hartley to bowl over the wicket, but Pope has spilled it.
England have begun the session with Mark Wood bowling short at R Ashwin and Hartley staying defensive. Ashwin has picked up two boundaries already. India's 400 has come up in the fourth over of the session.
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Jurel, Ashwin see India through to lunch
Like on day one, India lost early wickets in the first hour of the day but they have fought back in the second half of the session with a solid partnership of 57 between the debutant Dhruv Jurel and R Ashwin. They have both looked comfortable. Ashwin has played a few sumptuous shot, and Jurel has looked right at home. Jurel goes into lunch on 31 off 71, Ashwin 25 off 64. It has been slow going but India will take 388 for 7 from 331 for 7.
The odd ball has spun from the good part of the pitch, which should encourage India, but they will want to bat as much of the day 2 as possible while the pitch is still good.
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England 5 for 0
Ravindra jadeja incurred the first and final warning yesterday for running on the danger area on the pitch. Moments after hitting a lovely driven boundary off Rehan Ahmed, R Ashwin has now run on the protected area again, and the umpires have awarded five runs to England. I clearly remember Jadeja has been involved in at least one more five-run penalty: against New Zealand in Indore in 2016-17.
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Ashwin, Jurel steady after early wickets
The first hour is done, and Dhruv Jurel and R Ashwin have made sure the damage is kept to two wickets. Both of them have looked comfortable. Ashwin has struck two wonderful fours off pace off the back foot, and Jurel has ramped one six off a bouncer. England have now gone to spin on both ends. The two have added 22 runs.
India 353 for 7 with knowledge that the pitch will still be good for batting today, but might start turning tomorrow. So these two's aim is to bat as much as they can today.
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A stiff Wood is bending his back
As soon as R Ashwin comes out, England have gone to Mark Wood for some reason. Ashwin crunches the first ball away for four. The second was an effort ball, whistling past his nose. This is an interesting chat Mark Wood had with talkSPORT radio this morning.
"I’m a bit stiff, I haven’t had a run around yet. From a personal point of view I was pleased with the effort I put in more than anything else. All of the bowlers came off the field, it was hot, especially in that middle session, the heat felt like it was coming out of the ground. It was a weird sort of sensation. We had to work hard for our wickets, they played well and obviously we missed an opportunity when they were three down to make it 50-4, but, as a bowling group we can be pleased with the effort that we stuck at it."
Prefer the run out or wickets?
"The run out, 100%! I was absolutely buzzing with that. He doesn’t know unlucky he is that guy. That very rarely happens to me. But obviously everyone’s on it, the guy’s on 99, so as a fielding group you’re trying to stop that single. I’m not sure I needed to throw it quite so hard, I threw it as hard as I could from about five yards. I mean if I clipped the stumps Jimmy was in major trouble but yeah I’m delighted, it was a big wicket at that time of day."
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Another soft dismissal
India's dressing room will have flashbacks of Yashasvi Jaiswal patting a catch back to Joe Root in the first over of the second day of the first Test, which India lost. Ravindra Jadeja has provided a replay of it. A nothing drive back to Root. Another soft dismissal. India 331 for 7. Are India again leaving runs out there?
In comes R Ashwin.
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Kuldeep's nightwatch is over
In the fourth over of the day, James Anderson has taken the edge of nightwatch Kuldeep Yadav's bat. India 331 for 6. And now begins the game. The second debutant of the game, Dhruv Jurel is in. India 331 for 6.
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Jadeja gets back to work
Ravindra Jadeja knows he made a mistake, and has apologised for it. But now he knows he has to bat long to make sure India don't leave an opening for England here. India 330 for 5.
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Strange tale it is
A player debuted yesterday. Scored 62. Brought grown people, including his father, to tears. Not long ago, Cheteshwar Pujara scored a hundred at the same venue. His father was also reduced to tears. Difficult not to think of the parallels. Karthik Krishnaswamy tells you the story of the day when Pujara happened to be practising on the sidelines.
This was an anxious time for Safraraz, a strange time. In his press conference, he used the Urdu/Hindi word ajeeb to describe it, meaning strange, odd or peculiar, a word often followed in popular culture by dastaan, meaning story or saga. "Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh," Lata Mangeshkar sang, in 1960 and forever afterwards. "Kahaan shuru, kahaan khatam? What a strange tale this is; who knows where it began, where it ends?
Kudos to Suryakumar Yadav to suggest to Naushad Khan to go for the debut because these are once-in-a-lifetime moments. Kudos to the team management to bring Sarfaraz's abbu and wife to the sidelines. Oh the love with which Sarfaraz hands over the cap mto his abbu. The pride with which abbu kisses the crest. A culmination of a dream of two generations at least.
And as we speak, as many of us complain that he deserved to have played much sooner, there are thousands of little Sarfarazs pushing themselves beyond known human endurance in pursuit of the dream. Salute to them. You never know when the tale starts or ends.
Welcome to day two. And a shoutout to Sidhu Moosewala who wrote a song in which his father tells a beleaguered Sidhu that no matter what happens, do remember your father is proud of you. What a parallel in Naushad and Sarfaraz's life. Welcome to day two.
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India 326 for 5 at stumps
That late run-out will surely have frustrated India but if you had offered them 326 for 5 at the start of the day, they would have taken it. If you had made the same offer at 33 for 3, they would have bitten your hand off. Ravindra Jadeja will now be expected to make up for that run-out with more runs tomorrow, but don't forget he has scored a brilliant hundred and is unbeaten. We leave you with a teaser from my end-of-the-day report.
On the first day of the third Test, India’s batting finally came together but not without an early alarm. Down at 33 for 3, on a pitch that was full of runs, with two debutants to follow, India were looking at possible trouble when Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja added 204, India’s first century stand of the series. Rohit and Jadeja got centuries before Sarfaraz Khan made a sparkling debut, 62 off 66, to take India to 326 for 5 at stumps.
This was the first time India were playing two debutants in the top seven since their first Test, the first time they had three players in top seven who had played fewer than two Tests since 1999. That in mind, Mark Wood gave England a leg-up when he got rid of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, India’s only centurions this series, with the new ball. Gill in particular got a good ball, which swung in and then nipped away, taking the outside edge. These two doubled Wood’s tally of wickets in the first six overs of a Test innings.
The early-morning moisture that had helped Wood possibly helped Tom Hartley grip one in his ninth over, which took the front edge from Rajat Patidar. A day before the Test, Jadeja had said England were not a difficult side to beat. The team management asked him to go out and demonstrate it, the second-earliest he has walked in to bat in a Test innings, and the earliest in the first innings.
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Hundred for Jadeja, run-out for Sarfaraz
Oh the mixed emotions. On 99, Ravindra Jadeja pushes one straight to mid-on and calls Sarfaraz Khan, who reacts immediately only to be sold down the river by the senior partner. Next ball, Jadeja gets the single to bring up the hundred, but the celebration is subdued. Rohit Sharma threw his cap in disgust at the run-out, and wasn't seen applauding the hundred. He has been desperately asking his team to not lift the foot when they have the opposition down. India 315 for 5.
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Sarfaraz 50 off 48
He had to start his Test cricket ducking and weaving against Mark Wood, but against spin Sarfaraz Khan has been emphatically good. Ben Stokes has helped him out by keeping the field up, and Sarfaraz has been flawless with his aerial hits. Seven fours and a lovely straight six in his fifty. This is the second-quickest Test fifty on debut for India, behind Yuvraj of Patiala, and level with Hardik Pandya. India reach 300 for the loss of four wickets.
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Jadeja gets away again
England's horrible series with DRS continues. Ravindra Jadeja has the tendency to keep the bat alongside the pad or sometimes slightly behind when he defends. Tom Hartley has managed to get pad first and then the inside edge, but the appeal is half-hearted and no consideration given to a DRS review. Replays show pad first, and three reds.
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Sarfaraz beds in
Early signs of a good batter against spin. Sarfaraz Khan has shown good footwork, use of crease, soft hands to pick singles without the risk, and the ability to pull it off when he takes the risk. Three boundaries already in his 28 off 34. He has scored 28 out of the partnership of 38 with Ravindra Jadeja, who is on 93.
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Wood gets Rohit
The field is set for the short ball, and Mark Wood is bowling one after the other. Some get up loopily, some skid through. The final one skids onto him, hurries him, and gets miscued to midwicket. He is gone for 131 out of India's 237 for 4. In comes Sarfaraz Khan. Twenty-seven overs to stumps. Bouncers plan for Sarfaraz too. They have done their homework on Sarfaraz, who carries a bit of a reputation against the short ball.
No slip. A deep fine third, fine leg, long leg, short leg, catching square leg. Also Sarfaraz was among the batters Wood bounced out during his IPL five-for against Delhi last year.
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Double-century stand
2 Number of double-century partnerships for India in Tests since 2019. Both have featured Rohit Sharma. With Jaiswal against West Indies last year, and now with Jadeja. India 237 for 3.
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Jadeja gets away with one
With things looking all too comfortable, England ask Mark Wood for a burst of pace. He bounces Ravindra Jadeja, who is looking to keep the pull down because there are men back, but the ball hits the bat early, takes the top edge, and clears long leg, who is about 20 yards in off the fence. Could have been a catch for him on the fence. India 214 for 3. Jadeja on 78.
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Hundred for Rohit
With two easy couples in the first over after tea, Rohit Sharma has steered himself to his 11th Test hundred. This has been an innings of great responsibility after a young India line-up was reduced to 33 for 3 on a pitch expected to flatten out. Rohit had to weather the early storm, which he did in his unique manner - stepping out to Anderson, taking risks against Hartley - but has been solid after getting there. India 193 for 3.
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Wicketless session
1 Number of wicketless sessions this series. This is the only one. India added 92 runs without losing a wicket. Rohit Sharma is a shot away from a hundred, and Ravindra Jadeja is in his 70s. After that first hour of help from the early-morning moisture, this pitch has revealed itself as a batting beauty. India 185 for 3 at tea.
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Welcome back, Joe
Towards the end of the middle session, England finally get to spin on both ends. Rohit Sharma sees Joe Root nis starting with both mid-on and mid-off up, and as soon as he sees close enough to himself, he lofts him over mid-on.
79 Number of sixes Rohit has hit in Tests, now past MS Dhoni's 78. Virender Sehwag has 91.
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Let the sword out
In a home Test, in sooner than he has ever been in the first innings of a Test, Ravindra Jadeja has scored a fifty. It has not been an ideal month or so for him with what could be the first time a hamstring injury has made him miss a Test. He has had some family dispute play out in the public. And he is playing at home. To put it all aside and bat purely, just react to what is bowled at him, is quite remarkable. The fifty has come off 97 balls, nad has helped India recover from 33 for 3. They are 149 for 3 now, and into the last quarter of the middle session.
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How many 100-run stands for India?
1 This is the first 100-run partnership for India this series. That number should tell you enough about India's batting worries.
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Hundred for fourth wicket
Off the last ball of the first hour of the middle session, Rohit Sharma picked a couple past midwicket to bring up a century stand with Ravindra Jadeha for the fourth wicket. This hour has mostly been about being watchful and taking anyruns on offer. And still they have got 40 in 14 overs. James Anderson has got some reverse, the odd ball has turned, but there hasn't been much to test these batters. Expect more intent in the hour leading up to tea. England need a wicket to prevent that. India 133 for 3.
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Rohit Sharma finally clears the rope
1 Number of sixes Rohit Sharma has hit this series. It came in the 33rd over of the third Test. He is the 14th man to hit a six this series. It is a significant number because Rohit likes hitting sixes. He is now level with MS Dhoni with 78 sixes. Among Indians, only Virender Sehwag has hit more. Only 15 men world over have hit more sixes. India 121 for 3. The ball is just beginning to reverse.
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So what's the verdict on Tom Hartley?
Shiva Jayaraman has written this, which is well worth your time.
Tom Hartley came into this Test series with just 20 first-class matches under his belt, and his inexperience at this level has been apparent. There have been quite a few freebies for the India batters to cash in on with Hartley erring on length frequently, either pitching the ball too short or going too full. He has bowled 10 full tosses according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data.
In between those freebies, though, Hartley has bowled well, using his height to good effect to trouble batters. He is the leading wicket-taker among spinners in the series, and has managed to out-bowl his India counterparts comfortably. His 15 wickets have come at a shade under 25 runs apiece (data till lunch on the first day of the third Test). In comparison, the veteran R Ashwin has nine wickets at 36.33. Ravindra Jadeja has five wickets at 43.80.
However, Hartley has also benefitted from the India batters’ approach to facing him, which has been much like England batters’ approach to playing his India counterparts, albeit with a wider range of shots. That approach hasn’t worked for the India spinners as much as it has done for Hartley.
Hartley has produced 15.3% false shots from the India batters in the series. All the Indian spinners have induced a higher percentage of false shots from the England batters. But Hartley has taken a wicket for every 6.5 false shot in the series to Ashwin’s one every 12 false shots and Jadeja’s 15.2. Among overseas spinners to induce at least 30 mistakes from India batters in a Test series in the last 10 years, no spinner has struck as frequently as Hartley in this series. With a 60-ball cut-off, only Ashwin has produced more wickets per false shots in any series in India in the last 10 years: twice, against SA in 2015/16 and against New Zealand in 2016/17.
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Welcome back
England resume the second session with Mark Wood and Tom Hartley. If you are looking for early indications, Ravindra Jadeja trusted the pitch enough to be driving away from the body even in the first over after lunch. India 101 for 3 two overs into the middle session.
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India 93 for 3 at lunch
Generally when India win the toss in India on what everyone says is a flat pitch, you expect no contest on day one. Here, though, there was something in the pitch. Not sure if everyone misread the pitch or if the early moisture was up to tricks, there was uneven bounce available. Mark Wood and James Anderson were excellent. Wood took two early wickets. One ball from Tom Hartley gripped the surface and stood up on Rajat Patidar, making it 33 for 3.
The pitch kept doing something for a bit before seemingly settling down towards the end of the session. The fourth-wicket stand between Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja is 59. India 92 for 3.
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Fifty for Rohit
Reduced to 33 for 3, no experience behind him, good batting conditions going waste, Rohit Sharma has managed to firefight a little with his first fifty in eight Test innings. It has been a remarkable innings. He started off looking extremely comfortable, then wickets fell and then there was a spell of play where he looked unsettled. He slogged Hartley and was reprieved. He was hit in the helmet grille by Mark Wood. He charged at James Anderson, survived a close lbw shout. But in between there have been some glorious shots. He has got to his fifty in 71 balls. He and Ravindra Jadeja have added fifty for the fourth wicket. India 85 for 3 as lunch approaches.
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Rohit dropped by Root
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A strange over of batting from Rohit Sharma immediately after drinks. So it seems like he doesn't want Tom Hartley to settle into a rhythm. After a cut four, he flicks against the turn and in the air for four. A risky shot but middled. And to the last ball of the over, he tries a proper slog, gets an edge and is reprieved at first slip. The stroke of luck he needs?
India 49 for 3.
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England's hour
Mark Wood ends the first hour bowling with four slips and a gully. India are 39 for 3 having won the toss and decided to at first. Ravindra Jadeja came in to bat in the ninth, his second-earliest point of entry in Test cricket, and the earliest in the first innings. Rohit Sharma is unsure how to play the short ball probably for the first time in his life. With three wickets gone, he shelved the hook and got clocked on the helmet grille. Then he went baxck to hooking and kept it down. India 39 for 3.
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England all over India
In his first over, the ninth of the innings, Tom Hartley has taken out Rajat Patidar. Out of nowhere this ball has jumped off a length, taken a bit of the pitch with it, and has taken the front edge to lob up to cover. Patidar is shocked.
In comes Ravindra Jadeja, ahead of the debutant Sarfaraz Khan, at his home venue. India 33 for 3.
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Win the toss, bat first, and... 25 for 2
Mark Wood had not taken a wicket since Marnus Labuschagne this July. And then he has two in his first spell here. Shubman Gill is gone. Nicking to the keeper on the first morning of a Test in India. Following a length ball outside off. Not much movement but enough holding of the line.
These are only Wood's third and fourth Test wickets in the first six overs of the innings.
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Wood gets Jaiswal
India look comfortable in their start with both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma getting some quick runs. The ball is not swinging in the air nor seaming off the pitch. And then Mark Wood gets Jaiswal to edge one. It is short of a length, there is decent carry, angling across him, and Jaiswal opens up a little and follows it with his hands. Taken at first slip. Wood's first wicket this series. India 22 for 1.
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Wood the opening bowler
6 This is only the sixth time that Mark Wood has opened the bowling in a Test, three of those in this series
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Inexperience in India's batting
It is beginning to look a little bit like the second half of India's greatest series triumph, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in 2020-21. At that time India were missing bowlers, this time batters.
How inexperienced are India? The last time India had three batters in the top 7 with a personal experience of fewer than two Tests, it was when Devang Gandhi, Vijay Bharadwaj and MSK Prasad played together against New Zealand in 1999. It was so long ago that Gandhi is a current national selector, and Prasad has already served as chairman of selectors.
Thanks to Shiva Jayaraman for this stats.
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India bat, Kuldeep edges out Axar
India have won the toss, and they will be batting first. They have made four changes to the last XI. Sarfaraz and Jurel come in for Shreyas Iyer and KS Bharat. Jadeja comes back for Axar Patel, and Mohammed Sira is in for Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh has been released to go play Ranji Trophy for Bengal against Jharkhand in Ranchi.
England had announced their XI yesterday itself, with Mark Wood replacing Shoaib Bashir.
India 1 Rohit Sharma (capt.), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Sarfaraz Khan, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj
England 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capt.), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Rehan Ahmed, 9 Tom Hartley, 10 Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson
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Pitch report
Both Nick Knight and Deep Dasgupta reckon there are a lot of runs in this pitch. A dual-tone pitch, Knight says. Drier closer to the stumps, but greenish and less cracked on fast bowlers' good length. There are cracks, but Dasgupta says they are not likely to open up alarmingly. There could be some seam movement on the first session.
Anil Kumble says the weather is not hot enough for the cracks to open up.
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Debuts for Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel
Anil Kumble hands out Test cap No. 311 to Sarfaraz Khan, who has scored a mountain of runs in Ranji Trophy and has finally broken into the Test side. A nice touch from the team that his family is on the sidelines as it happens. His father, his coach, Naushad Khan, has tears in his eyes. It is a lovely moment.
No. 312 goes to Dhruv Jurel, the wicketkeeper-batter. Dinesh Karthik hands over the cap. KS Bharat, the incumbent wicketkeeper, won't be really pleased with himself. There were noticeable mistakes behind the wicket, and he failed to convert his starts into a sizeable knock. Jurel is the fourth wicketkeeper India have tried in the absence of Rishabh Pant.
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The century man
In about 15 minutes, when he comes out for the toss, Ben Stokes will join an elite club of Test cricketers with 100 caps to their name. It is a remarkable feat even if you keep in mind that England probably play more Test cricket than any other team. Stokes himself said on the eve of the Test that it is just a number, but Andrew Miller says here that if there is one man who can rebuff the cliche, it is Stokes.
It's not simply that Stokes' Test batting average of 36.34 disregards the fact that no cause is ever lost while he remains at the crease, or that his bowling mark of 32.07 cannot begin to express the relentlessness of his lengths when he embarks on another of those match-turning two- and three-wicket bursts. Stokes' importance to England - and frankly, to Test cricket - has long since shed the need for statistical validation.
Stokes is indeed a man made for highlights reel. We have shortlisted some of them, and you, yes you, need to go vote for his best performance, the highest of his highlights.
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It's back
Test cricket is back after a break after two engrossing Tests between India and England. The series is tied 1-1, and the caravan has moved to Rajkot. Between Tests, India have regained Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, but have dropped Shreyas Iyer. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul continue to be unavailable. Sarfaraz Khan might be in line for a debut here.
England have finaly decided to go with their four best bowlers as opposed to three spinners just for the sake of it. Shoaib Bashir has made way for Mark Wood, who joins James Anderson in a two-man pace attack.
India are yet to decide their XI. The main question is, whose place does Jadeja take? Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel. On pure bowling form, Kuldeep should play, but do India feel worried about their inexperienced batting and want to beef it up with Axar? Not that the depth made any difference to their outlook when they chased unsuccessfully in Hyderabad.
We welcome you all to the third Test.
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