India defeat England by 434 runs to go 2-1 up in series
India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and home hero Ravindra Jadeja combined to lead India to a 434-run victory over England in the third test on Sunday, exposing flaws in the touring team's high-risk approach.
There was no sign of an impending collapse when opener Ben Duckett smashed an 88-ball century to lead England's strong response to India's first-innings 445 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Joe Root then executed a highly debatable shot, a reverse scoop against India's premier seamer Jasprit Bumrah, resulting in a spectacular collapse.
Cruising at 224-2, England folded for 319 after conceding a 126-run lead, allowing India to edge ahead in a contest that had appeared evenly poised after two days.
Jaiswal then almost single-handedly batted England out of the game with an unbeaten 214, allowing India to declare on 430-4 and set England an improbable target of 557.
The opener, who retired hurt on 104 on Saturday due to back spasms, returned to pummel England's attack, matching Wasim Akram's record of 12 sixes in a Test innings.
It followed his 209 in the second test at Visakhapatnam.
Shubman Gill contributed 91, while Sarfaraz Khan scored 68 not out, his second fifty on his debut test.
Chasing an improbable target, England fell to 50-7, and it was Mark Wood's entertaining but futile 33 that propelled them over the 100-mark.
Ravindra Jadeja, the home town hero, was the wrecker-in-chief, taking 5-41 to go with his first innings hundred, helping him win the player-of-the-match award over Jaiswal.
India captain Rohit Sharma expressed complete confidence in his bowling unit, despite the fact that spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had to fly home due to a family emergency on Saturday.
"Test cricket is not played over two days or three days. We understand the importance of staying in the game," Rohit said after India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
"England played well and put us under pressure but we have class bowlers and the message was to stay calm."
"It is easy to drift away from what you do as a team but I am really proud of how we came back."
In the second innings, several of England's frontline batters fell to spinners, with Jonny Bairstow, Root, and Ben Stokes going LBW, while Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes offered edges that were taken.
Their poor shot selection in the first innings, however, has raised concerns about the gung-ho approach advocated by skipper Stokes and head coach Brendon 'Baz' McCullum.
Stokes will not abandon 'Bazball' despite criticism that it is reckless.
"Everyone has an opinion or a perception of things but the people in the dressing room really matter to us," the England captain said following the humiliating defeat.
"We know things don't always work out exactly how you want them to. We are 2-1 down and have a chance to win 3-2."
"We will leave this game behind us. We have to win the next two to win the series and that's what we will be trying to do."
The fourth test, scheduled for Ranchi, starts on Friday.
SportsLigue