Key occasions
thirty first over: India 111-3 (Rohit 53, Jadeja 39) Another quiet over from Hartley. He picked up the bonus wicket of Patidar this morning when the ball stopped in the in the pitch, however now it’s doing little or no. Rohit has scored 1 from 16 balls since lunch; he means enterprise.
thirtieth over: India 109-3 (Rohit 52, Jadeja 38) Wood has anb LBW shout in opposition to Jadeja turned down by Joel Wilson. It was too excessive and happening, however England will likely be inspired by the way in which the ball formed again into Jadeja. Two leg-byes from the over.
At the opposite en d Rohit has regarded rock stable since lunch, as if making a press release that he’s right here for the entire day now. Should’ve obtained rid me earlier than lunch, lads.
“Given Rohit Sharma’s preference for pyrotechnics even in the long format, and more so with the pitch easing up, now might be the right time to mix it up with a fast bowler and Ahmed,” writes Yash Gupta. “If England don’t get him in this session he will turbocharge the run-rate.”
twenty ninth over: India 107-3 (Rohit 52, Jadeja 38) Hartley slows his tempo right down to beat Rohit with a pleasant supply. A maiden. Ben Stokes is adjusting his area always, two or 3 times in some overs.
“Kumar Dharmasena’s started something here…” says Martin Wright. “A world of potentialities looms into view:
Mike Gatting (shortly after spilling the Easiest Catch in Cricket): Eau Dear.
Geoffrey Boycott: Eau de Grandmere avec un Morceau de Celeri.
“Dozens of others, surely. But I’ll get my coat…”
twenty eighth over: India 107-3 (Rohit 52, Jadeja 38) Jadeja thick edges Wood large of slip for 4, then clips to deep midwicket for 2. He loves extracting his crew from the malodorous stuff, significantly in opposition to England; his final Test century, at Edgbaston in 2022, got here once they had been 98 for 5.
twenty seventh over: India 101-3 (Rohit 52, Jadeja 32) Hartley begins across the wicket to Jadeja, who eases him into the leg aspect for a single. A quiet over reinforces the sensation that this pitch is now belter we had been promised the morning. Apparently Jimmy Anderson is off the sphere, although we don’t know why.
Ali Martin
Greeting Rob and pals; wonderful morning, wonderful lunch (paneer lababdar and freshly cooked naan) and wonderful to have a fast chinwag with native hero Cheteshwar Pujara on the nets out the again of the stand. He’s making ready for Saurashtra’s subsequent Ranji Trophy fixture in opposition to Manipur that begins tomorrow.
We chatted about Sussex – he loves Brighton and is wanting ahead to returning this summer time – and I barely unctuously in contrast him to the Terminator on that Australia tour of 2020/21 when he wore so many quick balls to the physique. He didn’t fairly say “I’ll be back” however he says he’ll be prepared if the decision comes…
Unctuous, you say.
twenty sixth over: India 100-3 (Rohit 52, Jadeja 31) Jadeja begins assertively after lunch, working Wood for 2 twos and a 3. Wood’s velocity was simply shy of 90mph; he must be a bit sharper in his subsequent over as he begins to rev up.
Mark Wood, who took two wickets this morning, will begin after lunch.
“Kumar Dharmasena parachuting into this series has reminded me he has his own range of oud/perfume in Sri Lanka,” writes Ali Martin.
Feels like a couple of of his predecessors missed a trick there. Steve Bucknor might have had his personal perfume for umpires, Eau Death.
Lunchtime studying
Lunch
Intriguing stuff in Rajkot. Mark Wood and Tom Hartley lowered India to 33-3, and it could have been 47-4 had Joe Root caught Rohit Sharma at slip. Instead Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja batted with growing authority in an unbroken partnership of 60. It was nonetheless England’s session, however they’d have cherished one extra wicket.
twenty fifth over: India 92-3 (Rohit 52, Jadeja 24) Rehan Ahmed is given the final over earlier than lunch. His third ball results in a stumping referral in opposition to Rohit, who’s crushed by a magnificence. Foakes did the required however Rohit’s again foot stayed grounded.
Root at slip thought there was an edge, although it missed the bat by a good distance. That’s lunch.
twenty fourth over: India 90-3 (Rohit 51, Jadeja 22) Jadeja drives a half-volley from Root by means of mid-on for 4, an impressive stroke to carry up a restorative fifty partnership with Rohit Sharma. It’s been a very good advert for expertise.
Batting is beginning to look simpler, though it helps that England are bowling some muck. Root follows that half-volley with a brief ball that Jadeja cuts to the fence.
twenty third over: India 81-3 (Rohit 51, Jadeja 13) Rohit survives an enormous LBW shout after pushing outdoors the road at Hartley. England resolve to not overview however that regarded shut, similar to Rohit’s dismissal in the second innings of the primary Test. It was umpire’s name so the choice wouldn’t have been overturned anyway.
Rohit flicks Hartley for 2 to achieve his first fifty of the collection and certainly the season, a classy if sometimes frisky 71-ball knock. He was dropped by Joe Root on 29; had it been taken India would have been 47 for 4.
“I’ve a horrible feeling that the drop off Rohit will prove as crucial as that off Jaiswal in the second Test,” says Gary Naylor. “In both instances, Joe Root’s hands were too high too soon and he couldn’t get back to the ball. Mark Waugh and Mahela Jayawardene were the best I saw slipping to spinners and both stayed very low for as long as possible – Root doesn’t, and he’s paid the price.”
twenty second over: India 78-3 (Rohit 49, Jadeja 12) Jadeja works Root to leg to interrupt the run of dot balls earlier than Rohit sweeps a free ball not far away for 4. He’s beginning to look fairly ominous for England; all of us keep in mind Chennai.
twenty first over: India 72-3 (Rohit 44, Jadeja 11) Just beneath quarter-hour till lunch as Hartley begins his seventh over. The area is unfold for Rohit, who inside-edges safely not far away for a single, and Jadeja defends the rest of the over. He hasn’t scored in his final 15 deliveries, although there aren’t any indicators that he’s shedding persistence.
twentieth over: India 71-3 (Rohit 43, Jadeja 11) Joe Root replaces Anderson (7-1-19-0), in all probability with the left-handed Jadeja in thoughts. Jadeja stays passive, arguably an excessive amount of so, and it’s a maiden from Root.
nineteenth over: India 71-3 (Rohit 43, Jadeja 11) An extended hop from Hartley is slugged to cow nook by Rohit, who’s beginning to look harmful: 19 from his first 35 deliveries, 24 from the subsequent 25.
18th over: India 67-3 (Rohit 39, Jadeja 11) Anderson goes around the wicket to his outdated buddy Jadeja, who in contrast to Rohit is taking part in each ball on its deserves in the intervening time. With Anderson as correct as ever, it’s a maiden.
seventeenth over: India 67-3 (Rohit 39, Jadeja 11) Stokes has mid-off and mid-on up when Hartley is bowling to Rohit, who blocks a couple of deliveries after which spanks Hartley again over his head for 4. It appears like he’s had sufficient of being dominated by the England bowlers.
sixteenth over: India 62-3 (Rohit 35, Jadeja 10) Rohit tries to vary the momentum by charging Anderson and spooning a drive that simply clears mid-on. His subsequent stroke is significantly better, a classically elegant back-foot drive for 4. This is an interesting contest between two outdated dons with a mixed age of 77.
Meanwhile, that is fairly one thing.
fifteenth over: India 56-3 (Rohit 29, Jadeja 10) Jadeja turns Hartley simply large of Pope at quick leg. It would have been an unimaginable catch, although Pope has managed a couple of of these in latest years. Jadeja’s most important focus till lunch is survival, although he’s by no means going to look a present half-volley in the mouth: he scrunches the final ball of the over down the bottom for his first boundary.
14th over: India 50-3 (Rohit 29, Jadeja 4) An excellent over from Anderson, who’s nibbling it each methods, continues with Rohit sporting a few deliveries on the physique.
“Lovely sunny if chilly morning here in the countryside south of Delhi, smog resting gently on the mustard fields and all that,” says Martin Wright. “Jadeja at No5? Does that mean we’re through to the tail? Or am I having one of Withington’s fever dreams?”
Yep, you’ve been Withingtoned. Never, ever underestimate Ravindra Jadeja. He averages 12 at No5 in Tests, admittedly, however it’s a small pattern dimension and that is the sort of state of affairs he relishes.
Rohit shouldn’t be out! Yep, Rohit survives. But these are actually nervous occasions for India, with the ball doing greater than anticipated for each the seamers and spinners. It ought to get simpler after lunch so it is a essential spell.
It was a stunning nipbacker from Jimmy Anderson, who in fact didn’t look fully satisfied it was out. Ah, that’s why: there was a slight inside edge from Rohit. The third umpire remains to be confirming it was bat first; I’m 99.94 positive it was.
ROHIT IS GIVEN OUT LBW AND REVIEWS!
thirteenth over: India 49-3 (Rohit 29, Jadeja 3) Rohit begins a counter-attack with consecutive boundaries off Hartley, a lower previous level and a hearty thump over midwicket. But then he’s dropped by Root at slip! Rohit heaved throughout the road and obtained a forefront to the left of Root, who couldn’t maintain on to a tough low probability. The ball dipped late and Root might solely get his fingertips on it. It regarded fairly robust to me, although the commentators reckon Root ought to have held it.
I SAID IN OTHER NEWS…
twelfth over: India 39-3 (Rohit 19, Jadeja 3) It’s comparatively cool in Rajkot, which permits Stokes to offer Wood a sixth over. Jadeja is crushed, pushing tenatively outdoors off, after which Rohit pulls confidently for a single. Apart from one cage-rattler, he has performed Wood very well.
After an unimaginably good first hour for England, it’s time for drinks.
“I’ve opened the digestives,” says Deepak Puri. “I feel the situation demands it.”
One extra wicket and the state of affairs may demand a digestif.
eleventh over: India 34-3 (Rohit 18, Jadeja 0) Hello! Hartley beats Rohit with a stupendous supply that curves in after which growls previous the sting. Another ball stops in the pitch and is nearly pushed again to Hartley by Rohit. An excellent maiden.
Dinesh Karthik thinks the flip is right down to moisture greater than anything, one more reason this wasn’t the worst toss to lose. There’s nonetheless heaps to do for England although as a result of batting ought to turn into a complete lot simpler after lunch.
tenth over: India 34-3 (Rohit 18, Jadeja 0) Rohit, hitherto comfy in opposition to the quick ball, is hit in the grille by a powerful bouncer from Wood. Just a single from the over, paddled not far away off the final supply. This is an outrageously good begin from England, who’ve taken three wickets for 12 runs in the final 38 balls.
ninth over: India 33-3 (Rohit 17, Jadeja 0) The native boy Ravindra Jadeja comes in forward of Sarfaraz Khan.
“Hola Rob,” writes Deepak Puri (third over). “Wish I’d stayed in bed now.”
Don’t fear, India will rating plenty of runs in the present day – this pitch is a belter. In fact I’ll be stunned if England take one other wicket ever once more.
Patidar fell in very tame trend, lobbing Hartley gently to Ben Duckett in the covers. The ball was barely quick and turned slowly, in all probability too slowly. Patidar regarded befuddled as he walked off, and replays affirm that the ball obtained caught in the pitch. You don’t often see that on the primary day.
WICKET! India 33-3 (Patidar c Duckett b Hartley 5)
What on earth is happening? Ben Stokes decides to have an early take a look at Tom Hartley, and but once more his intuition is spot on.
eighth over: India 32-2 (Rohit 16, Patidar 5) Rohit hasn’t had an ideal collection to date, however he has regarded serene this morning and has loads of time to paddle Wood not far away for a single. Patidar then performs a fairly beautiful back-foot drive by means of additional cowl for his first boundary. The ball from Wood was 92mph as effectively.
“Before the first ball I was summoning every ounce of optimism and punting on a par lunchtime score of 125 for one,” writes Brian Withington. “After three overs that appeared a fever dream, a foolish 4am fantasy. But then you doubted the wisdom of opening with Mark Wood, or even selecting him. Care to call time on Jimmy’s career next?”
I did that umpteen occasions in 2009, and nonetheless no one thanks me.
seventh over: India 25-2 (Rohit 14, Patidar 0) Patidar wafts at Anderson and is crushed. India simply have to get by means of this new-ball spell: they’ve misplaced two wickets for 3 runs in the final 20 balls.
sixth over: India 24-2 (Rohit 13, Patidar 0) The new batter is Rajat Patidar, taking part in solely his second Test. India’s Nos 4-7 went into his match with 70 Test caps between them: Jadeja 69, the remaining 1.
Ali Martin, our man in Rajkot, studies {that a}) the wifi is up the spout and b) Mark Wood is Jimmy Anderson’s 2fifth new-ball accomplice in Tests.
Mark Wood is bowling superbly right here. He nearly cleaned up Shubman Gill with the earlier ball, which stored low and simply missed the off stump. Gill pushed nervously on the comply with up, ft going nowhere, and edged healthily by means of to Ben Foakes. After a century in Vizag, a nine-ball duck in Rajkot.
WICKET! India 24-2 (Gill c Foakes b Wood 0)
England’s magical new-ball skilled strikes once more!
fifth over: India 23-1 (Rohit 12, Gill 0) Anderson has an enormous LBW shout in opposition to Gill turned down. It may need been excessive and there was undoubtedly an inside edge, however it was a stunning nipbacker from Anderson. Apart from Jadeja that is an especially inexperienced Indian center order; England would like to have a crack at Patidar at Sarfaraz whereas the ball remains to be arduous.
“Good toss to lose, because ChatGPT isn’t much help…” says Kim Thonger.
Q. When taking part in a check match in India, on profitable the toss, ought to England captain bat or bowl first?
A. Deciding whether or not to bat or bowl first upon profitable the toss in a Test match in India includes contemplating varied elements together with pitch circumstances, climate, crew strengths, and historic match outcomes on the venue. India’s pitches sometimes provide good batting circumstances on the primary couple of days earlier than beginning to deteriorate, which may help spin bowlers considerably because the match progresses.
Are you making an attempt to crush my spirit? That factor goes to place me out of a job by 2026 and possibly out of existence by 2030. I’ve seen Ex Machina, I do know what’s coming.
4th over: India 22-1 (Rohit 11, Gill 0) I believe Mark Wood’s final new-ball wicket in a Test match was David Warner at Trent Bridge in 2015, when Australia had been skittled for 60.
WICKET! India 22-1 (Jaiswal c Root b Wood 10)
Goddim! Wood pulls his size again and takes the large wicket of Jaiswal, who fiddles outdoors off stump and is taken at first slip by Joe Root. That is an important breakthrough, and I’ll maintain my opinions to myself from hereon in.
3.4 overs: India 22-0 (Jaiswal 10, Rohit 11) Wood isn’t a matural new-ball bowler. His first supply is simply too full, too straight and Rohit rolls the wrists to place him away by means of midwicket. I do suppose Wood was the suitable choice however I can’t get Ollie Robinson out of my head proper now.
It received’t be lengthy earlier than begin to get artistic. Wood takes out third slip and rams in a bouncer that beats Rohit’s tried flick-pull.
In different information, what an enthralling image that is of the debutant Sarfaraz Khan and his father. I’m getting sentimental in my outdated age, I do know, however that is beautiful.
third over: India 17-0 (Jaiswal 10, Rohit 6) Another full ball from Anderson is waved to the long-off boundary by Jaiswal, who has began together with his ordinary intent. England actually, actually need to get him early or he might have 200 by the shut. This pitch appears like an absolute belter.
“Woke for the second time for the night at 3.55am to respond to the needs of [redacted but fairly common medical condition],” writes Deepak Puri. “Saw it as a sign that I should put the telly on. I have tea… and there’s an unopened package of digestives in the cupboard. Game on.”
2nd over: India 13-0 (Jaiswal 6, Rohit 6) It’s uncommon to see Mark Wood take the brand new ball; earlier than this collection he hadn’t achieved it in a Test since 2015. His third ball is simply too full and waved elegantly by means of mid-on for 4 by Rohit. The fifth supply, left by Rohit, bounces properly into the gloves of Foakes. England should watch that bounce once they begin sweeping later in the sport.
Wood’s choice is sensible on this pitch, given how flat it appears, however what England would give to have Ollie Robinson alongside Anderson this morning.
1st over: India 6-0 (Jaiswal 5, Rohit 0) That’s methods to begin a Test match. Anderson pitches the primary supply up, testing for swing, and Jaiswal punches him by means of mid-off for 4.
Anderson settles right into a size thereafter, and Rohit Sharma is crushed by a stunning supply. Theer’s additionally a uncommon no-ball from Anderson, however general it was a very good begin.
Here we go: James Anderson to Yashasvi Jaiswal
This interview with Ben Stokes’ mum is de facto beautiful
Ben Stokes: 100 not out
Never thoughts ‘moving Test’, that is undoubtedly a Test filled with milestones. Ben Stokes performs his one centesimal Test, whereas Ravichandran Ashwin and James Anderson are eyeing even rarer achievements. Ashwin wants one wicket for 500 in Tests; Anderson wants 5 for 700.
Jimmy is such a continuing that we’ve turn into anaesthetised to the actual fact an England quick bowler goes to take 700 Test wickets. When he began his profession 21 years in the past, Courtney Walsh held the document with 519 and solely one England bowler, Lord Beefy, had half as many wickets as Anderson has now. It’s fully bonkers.
There’s one other Test happening on the Waca, and Australia – particularly Darcie Brown – have made a flying begin.
Sign up for the Spin!
We nearly definitely received’t see Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett bat till tomorrow, however give this a learn anyway – it’s superb.
The groups
India have made 4 adjustments in all. Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, who had been injured and rested respectively at Vizag, come in for Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar.
India Jaiswal, Rohit (c), Gill, Patidar, Sarfaraz, Jadeja, Jurel (wk), Ashwin, Kuldeep, Siraj, Bumrah.
England Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Bairstow, Stokes (c), Foakes (wk), Rehan, Hartley, Wood, Anderson.
India received the toss and bat
It’s by no means good to lose the toss in India, however this may not be the worst recreation in which to bowl first. There is perhaps somewhat bit in the pitch for Jimmy Anderson this morning, and the consensus from these on the bottom is that the pitch – which appears a belter – received’t break up fully. Still, you’d somewhat be batting first.
“We’d have batted first, that’s what you do in India when you win the toss,” says Ben Stokes. “The series is nicely balanced, it’s a fair reflection. We’re refreshed after a break and we’re looking forward to the battle this week.”
Team information: Sarfaraz and Jurel make Test debuts
India have two extra debutants in this recreation: Sarfaraz Khan, a 26-year-old with a first-class common of – get these exclamations marks prepared – 69.85, and the wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. They substitute Shreyas Iyer and and KS Bharat, who stored superbly in the primary two Tests however scored a modest 92 runs in 4 innings. We’re nonetheless ready to listen to who Ravindra Jadeja will substitute.
England named their crew yesterday, with one change from Vizag: Mark Wood in, Shoaib Bashir out.
Read Ali Martin’s preview
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live protection of India v England at Rajkot. The third day of a Test match is usually described as “moving day”, as a result of it’s usually when an evenly matched recreation begins to maneuver decisively in one path. The contest we’re about to get pleasure from, the third in a five-match collection, is perhaps a a uncommon instance of a transferring Test.
It’s solely the fourth time this century {that a} five-Test collection has been 1-1 after two video games. A draw is nearly unattainable, even on what must be the perfect batting pitch of the collection, so one of those groups will nearly definitely transfer inside touching distance of a collection victory.
It’s too early to think about it is perhaps England, as a result of a collection win away to India – even an under-strength India – can be nearly too joyous to bear. But simply imagine if it’s England.
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