IND vs ENG 3rd Test: England’s Dominant Response to India’s 445 as Ben Duckett Shines with Quickfire Century

Rajkot:  In a spectacular turn of events on the second day of the Test match between India and England, Ben Duckett’s scintillating century propelled England to a commanding position after India posted a total of 445 runs in their first innings.

Duckett’s exceptional innings, featuring a barrage of boundaries and remarkable stroke play, saw him reach his third Test century off just 88 balls – the quickest-ever by an England batter in a Test against India. His aggressive approach, particularly against spinners and Kuldeep Yadav, posed significant challenges for the Indian bowlers.

England’s reply was initiated with a solid partnership between Duckett and Zak Crawley, who contributed to a sixth fifty-plus stand in seven innings in the series. Despite Crawley’s dismissal after mistiming a sweep off R Ashwin, Duckett continued to dominate the Indian bowling attack, remaining unbeaten at stumps with a score of 133.

England, having lost two wickets, finished the day at 207/2, trailing India by 238 runs. Duckett’s aggressive innings kept India on the back foot, and his ability to dispatch the ball to the boundaries with ease showcased England’s dominance on a seemingly flat pitch.

Earlier in the day, India faced a challenging situation as England’s bowlers, led by James Anderson, made regular breakthroughs. Anderson dismissed nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja fell shortly after adding two runs to his overnight score 110, leaving India at 331/7. Concerns arose about India posting a below-par total, but a resilient partnership between debutant Dhruv Jurel and R Ashwin pushed India past the 400-run mark.

Jurel, showing early promise against the aggressive Mark Wood, and Ashwin, displaying patience and solidity, added a crucial 77-run stand. However, Ashwin’s dismissal against Rehan Ahmed triggered a collapse as India stuttered once again. Jurel followed suit, and despite a 30-run partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, England’s Mark Wood finished with a four-wicket haul, restricting India to 445. The only glorious moment for India came in the post-tea session, as Ashwin scalped Crawley’s wicket to become the fastest Indian bowler to take 500 wickets surpassing legendary Anil Kumble’s record.

As the match enters its third day, all eyes will be on England’s further consolidation and India’s efforts to stage a comeback in what promises to be an enthralling contest between bat and ball.