- By Stephan Shemilt
- Chief cricket writer in Rajkot
February 16, 2024, 11:38 GMT
Updated 22 minutes ago
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Ben Duckett's 88-ball hundred was the second fastest of any English opener in Test cricket
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Third Test, Rajkot (day two of five): |
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India 445: Rohit 131, Jadeja 112, Sarfaraz 62; Wood 4-114 |
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England 207-2: Duckett 133* |
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England Trail with 238 runs |
Ben Duckett's scintillating century led to a stunning England counter-attack on the second day of the third Test against India in Rajkot.
The opener smashed his third Test hundred off just 88 balls in a swashbuckling attack on India bowling in the evening sun.
Duckett added 84 from 80 balls with Zak Crawley for the first wicket, then another 93 from 102 with Ollie Pope.
In the end he was unbeaten with 133 from 118 balls, including 21 fours and two sixes. Duckett had guided England to 207-2 after just 35 overs, 238 behind India's 445.
England started the day by removing night watchmen Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, who were eventually out for 112 in the first five overs but were then frustrated by a 79-run partnership between debutant Dhruv Jurel and Ravichandran Ashwin.
It was the start of an eventful day for Ashwin, who was the culprit as India were penalized five runs for running on the field and then removed Crawley to become the ninth bowler to reach 500 Test wickets.
Even after defeating Ashwin and Jurel, England were frustrated by a last-wicket stand of 30 between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj.
Then came Duckett's pyrotechnics, another exciting chapter in a great series that ended with a tantalizing 1-1 score.
England Bazball when they need it most
Realistically, by the end of India's innings, England were facing the end of the game and possibly the series. Never before have India been beaten by so many runs in the first innings of a home Test.
England missed chances on the first day and were unusually passive on the second day. They removed Kuldeep and Jadeja in quick succession, later doing the same with Ashwin and Jurel, but in between they dropped Jurel twice, were strangely defensive with their fielding and seemed to have no ideas about wicket-taking.
The tourists also showed signs of irritation, triggered by India's running around the field. Joe Root even got frustrated with the spidercam.
There was nothing defensive about the way England got back into the game, with Duckett tapping into the easy-going spirit of the early days of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era. Aside from the one-off Test against Ireland, this was England's fastest run rate in more than a year.
India were stunned and completely unable to contain Duckett, who significantly erased the deficit in little more than one session of play.
England still has a lot to do. On a pitch that is in danger of deteriorating, batting last will be a huge challenge. A lead in the first inning would be incredibly valuable.
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Duckett reached his century after just 25.5 overs of England's innings
Duckett has been threatening to play a shot like that the entire series. He reached 20 in all four previous innings but never got past 47.
This was a memorable blitz that at one point threatened Gilbert Jessop's 122-year-old record for fastest England Test hundred. Surely it is only a matter of time before a member of this England team surpasses Jessop's 76 balls.
Duckett's highlight stroke play had him scoring from 360 degrees. When there was width, he cut. If the ball was too full, he would play drives through the ceiling or onto the floor. He played his trademark sweeps in front of the spinners, with Kuldeep making seven runs an over and Jadeja making more than eight runs.
The left-hander's half-century came from just 39 balls. Crawley's contribution to the opening stand was just 15 and after placing a sweep at the top to give Ashwin his game-winning wicket, Pope slipped into Duckett's slipstream.
Duckett survived an lbw review for 79 when he was hit by a searing Bumrah yorker and then drove Siraj for four to complete the second-fastest hundred by an England opener in Tests after Crawley's 86 balls.
Duckett's celebration was passionate, but that turned to disbelief when Pope was awarded lbw for 39 on review against Siraj, with the ball turning out to hit the top of leg stump. It allowed Root to regain his composure after being not out on nine occasions, although Duckett also survived an lbw review from Ashwin in the final over of the day.
England finally tames the cock
India progressed to 326-5 and England had hoped to limit their total after Kuldeep James edged Anderson and Jadeja chipped back to Root.
But wicketkeeper Jurel looked confident and Ashwin was usually stubborn. England captain Stokes opted against his usual tight catchers, while Mark Wood was asked to throw a series of rebounds either side of lunch, to no avail.
The moment of controversy arose during the eighth-wicket partnership. India had been booked on the first day for Jadeja running across the pitch. When Ashwin repeated the crime, referee Joel Wilson intervened.
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed finally made a breakthrough. Ashwin made it to the middle on 37 and Jurel, who was bowled over by both Pope and Stokes on 32, made the cut on 46.
England still had to endure Bumrah scoring 26 before he was pinned up front, giving Wood a fourth wicket.
The penalty runs meant England started their innings 5-0, but Duckett didn't need the lead.
“Neck and neck” reaction
India spinner Ravinchandran Ashwin: “I would like to dedicate my 500th wicket to my father. He has been there through thick and thin.”
“The game is head-to-head. They put us under pressure, but it’s important not to react to that pressure.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan: “One of the incredible days of Test cricket. Ben Duckett’s innings was a special one and equaled that of Ollie Pope in the first Test.”
“If England bat all day tomorrow they have a great chance.”
` cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew: “A remarkable innings from Ben Duckett, he took advantage of every little initiative India took.”
“What a day, but England have more batting ahead of them.”
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