The Indian cricket team defeated England in the Rajkot Test by 434 runs.©BCCI
India made a mockery of England in the third Test of the five-match series in Rajkot on Sunday, crushing the visiting nation by 434 runs. This was the biggest victory in terms of runs in the history of 577 Tests and the first time it was won by a margin of more than 400 runs. India surpassed their 372-run win over New Zealand in 2021. With this win, India took the series 2-1 and overtook Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. Rohit Sharma’s team is currently second in the WTC points table.
New Zealand remain at the top of the table with a points percentage of 75% after four Tests in the cycle. India is in second place with her 59.52%, followed by Australia slightly behind with 55%.
Returning to the match, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten double century and Ravindra Jadeja’s five wickets helped India defeat England by a record 434 runs.
Chasing 557 for victory, England’s batting line-up fell like a pack of cards, losing eight wickets in the final session and being banded out for 122 on the fourth day in Rajkot.
Jadeja took the final wicket off Mark Wood for 33 and kissed the pitch as India recorded their biggest-ever victory in terms of runs scored.
England lost their openers, including centurion Ben Duckett’s first-innings opener, and were four runs out by tea time, with Jadeja rocking the middle order with his left-arm spin.
Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root trailed in the five-game series, suffering their fourth and seventh defeats respectively.
Captain Ben Stokes tried to resist India’s bowling corps, but lost lbw for 15 to left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav in his memorable 100th Test.
As India reached 430-4 in the second innings, the left-handed Jaiswal made 214 off 236 balls to fend off the opposition’s attacks.
The opening pitcher returned to bat in the morning session after retiring at No. 104 due to lower back pain in the second half of the third day. He jumped for joy as he scored his second double ton in back-to-back games with a single off Root.
Jaiswal, who hit a record-tying 12 sixes in his knock, including three consecutive hits over the fence from James Anderson, is the veteran quick who has taken 696 wickets in 185 Tests. It was the first record for this.
England won the opening match by 28 runs, but India bounced back in the second match and won their second consecutive match.
The fourth Test begins on Friday at lunch.
(With AFP input)
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