ENGLAND TOUR OF INDIA, 2024 England lose openers in mammoth chase after Jaiswal double ton
Saturday, 17 Feb 2024 18:30 pm

Batbricks7

Bumrah got rid of Crawley at the stroke of Tea.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan caused absolute mayhem in the second session on Day 4 in Rajkot as the pair added 116 runs in 16 overs before Rohit Sharma opted to declare. The Mumbai pair put on a masterclass in batting audacity as none - from James Anderson to Joe Root - were spared of their swashbuckling stroke-making. Rohit declared India's innings on 430/4, after which India dismissed both the England openers just before the Tea break.

Jaiswal and Sarfaraz had already shown glimpses of what was to come towards the end of the morning session in which runs came freely even as England pegged the hosts back a touch with the wickets of Shubman Gill - against the run of play - and the nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav. The pair put on a strong stand before England could find a way through but that followed a scintillating partnership full of fours and sixes.

Jaiswal packed in a lot of his adventurism in a single Anderson over when he took on the veteran pacer for three successive sixes all around the ground. England used a 7-2 off-side heavy field for the Southpaw who comfortably walked across and smashed Anderson on the leg side with a sweep shot. Anderson kept bowling full and outside off-stump and Jaiswal gave him the charge to smash the next ball over deep extra cover before hitting a straight flat six over Anderson's head.

England didn't take the new ball that was due at the start of the session and persisted with Root, who was also treated disdainfully. Sarfaraz got a heavily populated leg-side field and managed to carve it open when he got the chance as the pair added 100 runs off just 88 balls. Jaiswal's penchant for six hitting took his tally to 12 for the innings - most by an Indian batter and level for overall with Wasim Akram. He also became only the third Indian batter after Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli to score double centuries in successive Tests.

Sarfaraz kept his spin-hitting going and brought up his second fifty of the match before Rohit decided to put an end to the innings. While Jaiswal walked off for an unbeaten 214 off just 236 balls, Sarfaraz finished with 68* off 72. England made a cautious start, but miscommunication while running between the stumps led to Ben Duckett's early exit. Jasprit Bumrah then trapped Zak Crawley leg before, bringing the end to the session with England on 18/2.