India thrashed England by 434 runs on Day 4 of the third Test, in Rajkot, on Sunday (Feb 18). Batting first, India were tottering at 33-3 on the opening day before centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma (131) and Ravindra Jadeja (112) propelled India to 445. In reply, Ben Duckett's 153 stood out for England as they folded for 319 before India set a whopping 557-run target for the visitors, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's 214. Eventually, Jadeja's 5-fer enabled India's big win as England got dismissed for a paltry 122.

After India's thumping victory, their biggest Test win in terms of runs, veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik made a big claim. He feels the Rajkot Test is a statement win for captain Rohit, who has been under fire as a red-ball leader of late. Former England batter Kevin Pietersen had recently hit out at Hitman&nbsp;during the first Test in Hyderabad (which the hosts lost by 28 runs)&nbsp;for his relaxed on-field attitude&nbsp;and overall tactics.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I would say that this is a statement victory for Rohit Sharma. They did not have Ashwin when they bowled in the first innings of the Test match. That is a big miss in India. In spite of that, he has made this Test match happen. There were few murmurs in the last two Tests that he had not led the team well and at times he let the game drift," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.

"He made a strong comeback in Vizag. In Rajkot Ben Duckett made it really hard for him in the first innings, but he still found a way to comeback. Now add the others, the Rahuls, the Kohlis, the Shamis, the Pantsl; Rohit has led this team very well and he has found answers to questions that Bazball raised in the first Test match in Vizag," he further added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/a-wake-up-call-former-skipper-michael-vaughan-lashes-out-at-bazball-after-englands-drubbing-in-rajkot-691559">A wake up call: Former skipper Michael Vaughan lashes out at Bazball after England's drubbing in Rajkot</a>

After the massive win in Rajkot, Rohit said at the post-match presentation, "When you&nbsp;are playing Test cricket, it is not played over 2-3 days. We do understand the importance of playing over 5 days. They played well and put us under pressure. We have got class in our&nbsp;bowling, the message was to stay calm and I'm really proud of how we came back the next day. When those things happen, it's a delight."

India's win in Rajkot is being appreciated more because they were without Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, both out of action due to injury concerns, whereas Virat Kohli has not taken part in the series yet due to personal reasons. Moreover, R Ashwin had to withdraw from the Test match after the end of&nbsp;second day's play, due to a family emergency. While he had returned to Rajkot on the fourth day, Jaiswal and Jadeja (ending with match figures of 7 for 92)&nbsp;ensured India did not require his services as they thumped England without dropping much sweat.

India thrashed England by 434 runs on Day 4 of the third Test, in Rajkot, on Sunday (Feb 18). Batting first, India were tottering at 33-3 on the opening day before centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma (131) and Ravindra Jadeja (112) propelled India to 445.

India thrashed England by 434 runs on Day 4 of the third Test, in Rajkot, on Sunday (Feb 18). Batting first, India were tottering at 33-3 on the opening day before centuries from skipper Rohit Sharma (131) and Ravindra Jadeja (112) propelled India to 445. In reply, Ben Duckett's 153 stood out for England as they folded for 319 before India set a whopping 557-run target for the visitors, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's 214. Eventually, Jadeja's 5-fer enabled India's big win as England got dismissed for a paltry 122. After India's thumping victory, their biggest Test win in terms of runs, veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik made a big claim. He feels the Rajkot Test is a statement win for captain Rohit, who has been under fire as a red-ball leader of late. Former England batter Kevin Pietersen had recently hit out at Hitman during the first Test in Hyderabad (which the hosts lost by 28 runs) for his relaxed on-field attitude and overall tactics. "I would say that this is a statement victory for Rohit Sharma. They did not have Ashwin when they bowled in the first innings of the Test match. That is a big miss in India. In spite of that, he has made this Test match happen. There were few murmurs in the last two Tests that he had not led the team well and at times he let the game drift," Karthik said on Cricbuzz. "He made a strong comeback in Vizag. In Rajkot Ben Duckett made it really hard for him in the first innings, but he still found a way to comeback. Now add the others, the Rahuls, the Kohlis, the Shamis, the Pantsl; Rohit has led this team very well and he has found answers to questions that Bazball raised in the first Test match in Vizag," he further added. Also read: A wake up call: Former skipper Michael Vaughan lashes out at Bazball after England's drubbing in Rajkot After the massive win in Rajkot, Rohit said at the post-match presentation, "When you are playing Test cricket, it is not played over 2-3 days. We do understand the importance of playing over 5 days. They played well and put us under pressure. We have got class in our bowling, the message was to stay calm and I'm really proud of how we came back the next day. When those things happen, it's a delight." India's win in Rajkot is being appreciated more because they were without Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, both out of action due to injury concerns, whereas Virat Kohli has not taken part in the series yet due to personal reasons. Moreover, R Ashwin had to withdraw from the Test match after the end of second day's play, due to a family emergency. While he had returned to Rajkot on the fourth day, Jaiswal and Jadeja (ending with match figures of 7 for 92) ensured India did not require his services as they thumped England without dropping much sweat.

Ind vs Eng: Rajkot Test is a statement win for 'under-fire' Rohit Sharma, feels veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik

England’s plan A has failed, putting them in a spot of bother against India in the ongoing five-match series. Following an embarrassing 434-run beating in the third Test in Rajkot, Captain Ben Stokes is contemplating risking bowling himself in the final two Tests to help England turn the tide.

A day after commenting on his side's chances of making a comeback in the&nbsp;series, despite being down 1-2, Stokes said he felt 'great' bowling in the nets lately and only after consulting with the team doctors that he will take a call on resuming bowling in Tests.

Speaking with media outlet TNT after England’s heaviest defeat in Tests since 1934, Stokes said he felt he could have bowled in Rajkot, but that would have been stupid, considering he is yet to get a green signal from the medical staff. Stokes admitted that his recovery has happened more swiftly than he anticipated and doesn’t rule out him sharing the bowlers’ workload in the final two Tests.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-hes-a-modern-t20-player-says-ex-england-skipper-michael-atherton-on-indias-yashasvi-jaiswal-691631">IND vs ENG: 'He's a modern T20 player,' says ex-England skipper Atherton about India's Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

"I have managed to get my first bowl at 100 per cent in the warm-up. I'm not going to lie, I feel really great,” Stokes told TNT. "I felt like I could have bowled in this game, but that would have been stupid. I have a whole body to get used to bowling again.

"As a person, I like to jump the gun a little bit, but things are feeling really good. It's not a yes - but it's not a no either. I have progressed a lot faster than I thought I would.

"That will be a more detailed chat with the medical team about what workload I have done to pass me off as not being a massive risk,” Stokes added.

<h2>India crush England in Rajkot</h2>

Bazball suffered its heaviest and most embarrassing defeat in Rajkot, going down inside one session in the chase of 557 on day four. Although Ben Duckett was their star batter in the first innings, hitting a stunning hundred (153), the visitors got all out on 122 in their next outing, with their scorecard reading 50 for seven at one stage.

Unlike how the team is supposed to play wearing Bazball on their sleeves, Stokes deployed a cautious approach in both innings, scoring at a strike rate of under 50.&nbsp;

However, if England were to avoid suffering the same fate they did in 2021, they must think out of the box and deliver in the fourth and the fifth Test to script one of the greatest comebacks in this format.&nbsp;

England’s plan A has failed, putting them in a spot of bother against India in the ongoing five-match series. Following an embarrassing 434-run beating in the third Test in Rajkot, Captain Ben Stokes is contemplating risking bowling himself in the final two Tests to help England turn the tide.

England’s plan A has failed, putting them in a spot of bother against India in the ongoing five-match series. Following an embarrassing 434-run beating in the third Test in Rajkot, Captain Ben Stokes is contemplating risking bowling himself in the final two Tests to help England turn the tide. A day after commenting on his side's chances of making a comeback in the series, despite being down 1-2, Stokes said he felt 'great' bowling in the nets lately and only after consulting with the team doctors that he will take a call on resuming bowling in Tests. Speaking with media outlet TNT after England’s heaviest defeat in Tests since 1934, Stokes said he felt he could have bowled in Rajkot, but that would have been stupid, considering he is yet to get a green signal from the medical staff. Stokes admitted that his recovery has happened more swiftly than he anticipated and doesn’t rule out him sharing the bowlers’ workload in the final two Tests. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: 'He's a modern T20 player,' says ex-England skipper Atherton about India's Yashasvi Jaiswal "I have managed to get my first bowl at 100 per cent in the warm-up. I'm not going to lie, I feel really great,” Stokes told TNT. "I felt like I could have bowled in this game, but that would have been stupid. I have a whole body to get used to bowling again. "As a person, I like to jump the gun a little bit, but things are feeling really good. It's not a yes - but it's not a no either. I have progressed a lot faster than I thought I would. "That will be a more detailed chat with the medical team about what workload I have done to pass me off as not being a massive risk,” Stokes added. India crush England in Rajkot Bazball suffered its heaviest and most embarrassing defeat in Rajkot, going down inside one session in the chase of 557 on day four. Although Ben Duckett was their star batter in the first innings, hitting a stunning hundred (153), the visitors got all out on 122 in their next outing, with their scorecard reading 50 for seven at one stage. Unlike how the team is supposed to play wearing Bazball on their sleeves, Stokes deployed a cautious approach in both innings, scoring at a strike rate of under 50. However, if England were to avoid suffering the same fate they did in 2021, they must think out of the box and deliver in the fourth and the fifth Test to script one of the greatest comebacks in this format.

IND v ENG: Ben Stokes the bowler vows to save England’s sinking ship in last two Tests

England lost the third Test to India, in Rajkot, by a whopping 434-run margin. This became the second biggest defeat for England in Tests and they now trail the five-match series 2-1. After the third Test, former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain schooled Ben Stokes &amp; Co. Hussain feels England should not considering tweaking their famous Bazball approach but need some reflection and improvement before heading into the final two Tests.

<h2>‘It’s time for introspection’</h2>

In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "Sure, England got away with it in the first Test when they conceded a huge 190-run lead and turned things around... But on the Subcontinent, matches like that are the exception, not the rule and if you get behind it's very hard to catch up...It's a time for introspection. It's a time for the basics - taking your catches, making big scores in the first innings."

"Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure and this was a time to do so, forcing Bumrah into a second spell, making Jadeja bowl more and more. An opportunity for England to make India really miss Ashwin," Hussain further stated.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-rajkot-test-is-a-statement-win-for-under-fire-rohit-sharma-feels-veteran-stumper-dinesh-karthik-691596">Ind vs Eng: Rajkot Test is a statement win for 'under-fire' Rohit Sharma, feels veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik</a>

Hussain added, "If England don't consider tweaks, Bazball just becomes a cult that can't be questioned...I am not asking them to alter their mantra, just to review the last couple of matches and ask themselves: how can we improve?"

After being asked to bowl first, England had India reeling at 33-3 on the opening day of the Rajkot Test before Indian captain Rohit Sharma's 131 and Ravindra Jadeja's 112 propelled the hosts to 445. In reply, Ben Duckett stood out with an impressive 153 but England only managed 319, conceding a vital 126-run lead. India setup a massive 557-run target for the visitors, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's unbeaten 214 in the second innings, to eventually dismiss the English line-up for a paltry 122 in the final innings.

England could not capitalise on a fine start, Duckett's daddy hundred and the fact that India were without R Ashwin, who withdrew from the Test midway due to a family emergency, and lost&nbsp;by a huge margin. The visitors, trailing 2-1, have a herculean task at hand to level the series in the fourth Test in Ranchi, which gets underway on Feb 23 (Friday).

England lost the third Test to India, in Rajkot, by a whopping 434-run margin. This became the second biggest defeat for England in Tests and they now trail the five-match series 2-1.

England lost the third Test to India, in Rajkot, by a whopping 434-run margin. This became the second biggest defeat for England in Tests and they now trail the five-match series 2-1. After the third Test, former England captain-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain schooled Ben Stokes & Co. Hussain feels England should not considering tweaking their famous Bazball approach but need some reflection and improvement before heading into the final two Tests. ‘It’s time for introspection’ In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote, "Sure, England got away with it in the first Test when they conceded a huge 190-run lead and turned things around... But on the Subcontinent, matches like that are the exception, not the rule and if you get behind it's very hard to catch up...It's a time for introspection. It's a time for the basics - taking your catches, making big scores in the first innings." "Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure and this was a time to do so, forcing Bumrah into a second spell, making Jadeja bowl more and more. An opportunity for England to make India really miss Ashwin," Hussain further stated. Also read: Ind vs Eng: Rajkot Test is a statement win for 'under-fire' Rohit Sharma, feels veteran stumper Dinesh Karthik Hussain added, "If England don't consider tweaks, Bazball just becomes a cult that can't be questioned...I am not asking them to alter their mantra, just to review the last couple of matches and ask themselves: how can we improve?" After being asked to bowl first, England had India reeling at 33-3 on the opening day of the Rajkot Test before Indian captain Rohit Sharma's 131 and Ravindra Jadeja's 112 propelled the hosts to 445. In reply, Ben Duckett stood out with an impressive 153 but England only managed 319, conceding a vital 126-run lead. India setup a massive 557-run target for the visitors, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal's unbeaten 214 in the second innings, to eventually dismiss the English line-up for a paltry 122 in the final innings. England could not capitalise on a fine start, Duckett's daddy hundred and the fact that India were without R Ashwin, who withdrew from the Test midway due to a family emergency, and lost by a huge margin. The visitors, trailing 2-1, have a herculean task at hand to level the series in the fourth Test in Ranchi, which gets underway on Feb 23 (Friday).

Ind vs Eng: ‘Don’t alter Bazball approach, but...’ - Nasser Hussain schools Ben Stokes-led England

Drama over the Decision Review System (DRS) continued to hog all the limelight after the end of the Rajkot Test as India vanquished England by 434 runs. England captain Ben Stokes has asked for DRS to scrap the umpire’s call over Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second innings.

While after hitting the pads, the ball was projected to be missing the top of the leg stump, but the DRS call showed it clipped the leg stump, leaving everyone in the England camp confused (for the second time in this series).&nbsp;

During the ninth over of the second innings, Jasprit Bumrah trapped Crawley in front, only for the England opener to take a review immediately and lose it. Following the replays that showed the ball clip&nbsp;the top of the leg stump, resulting in him getting out since the umpire had adjudged it out with the naked eye, Crawley walked away in disbelief while the Indian team celebrated.

Crawley was on the receiving end for the second time in this series after getting out LBW off Kuldeep Yadav during the Vizag Test, a decision Stokes called ‘wrong’ at that time.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-we-can-still-win-this-series-3-2-ben-stokes-after-rajkot-test-loss-691481">IND v ENG - We can still win this series 3-2: Ben Stokes after Rajkot Test loss</a>

"We just wanted some clarity around Zak's DRS when the images came back," revealed Stokes after the Rajkot Test.&nbsp;

"The ball is quite clearly missing the stump on the replay. So, when it gets given the umpire's call, and the ball's not actually hitting the stumps, we were a bit bemused. So, we just wanted some clarity from the Hawk-Eye guys."

"It came back saying the numbers, or whatever it is that is, it was saying that it was hitting the stumps, but it was the projection that was wrong. I don't know what that means. Something's gone wrong, so, yeah."

"It's not me blaming that on what's happened here, like I didn't last week. It's just… what's going on?” the England captain added.

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❎ "The ball didn't hit the stump on the replay. We should take away umpires call." 
 
📹 "When the people in charge of it are saying that something's gone wrong, then that says enough." 
 
Ben Stokes chats to <a href="https://twitter.com/cameronponsonby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cameronponsonby</a> about the DRS decisions in their defeat 🏏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/89RWI4LT7Z">pic.twitter.com/89RWI4LT7Z</a>
— talkSPORT Cricket (@Cricket_TS) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cricket_TS/status/1759206495827153077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Unhappy Stokes hates playing blame game</h2>

While Stokes admitted that such calls are not the reason behind them losing two back-to-back Tests, he said something needs to be changed in the technology, starting from the umpire’s call rule.

"It is not something you pin down to result of the game. Sometimes when you are on the wrong end of those decisions it hurts, but that is part of the game. You want them to go your way, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't."

"You just want a level playing field. The umpires have an incredibly hard job as it is, especially in India when the ball is spinning. My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps. They should take away the umpire's call if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't want to get too much into it because it sounds like we are moaning and saying that is why we lost the Test match,” Stokes added.

Drama over the Decision Review System (DRS) continued to hog all the limelight after the end of the Rajkot Test as India vanquished England by 434 runs. England captain Ben Stokes has asked for DRS to scrap the umpire’s call over Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second innings.

Drama over the Decision Review System (DRS) continued to hog all the limelight after the end of the Rajkot Test as India vanquished England by 434 runs. England captain Ben Stokes has asked for DRS to scrap the umpire’s call over Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second innings. While after hitting the pads, the ball was projected to be missing the top of the leg stump, but the DRS call showed it clipped the leg stump, leaving everyone in the England camp confused (for the second time in this series). During the ninth over of the second innings, Jasprit Bumrah trapped Crawley in front, only for the England opener to take a review immediately and lose it. Following the replays that showed the ball clip the top of the leg stump, resulting in him getting out since the umpire had adjudged it out with the naked eye, Crawley walked away in disbelief while the Indian team celebrated. Crawley was on the receiving end for the second time in this series after getting out LBW off Kuldeep Yadav during the Vizag Test, a decision Stokes called ‘wrong’ at that time. ALSO READ: IND v ENG - We can still win this series 3-2: Ben Stokes after Rajkot Test loss "We just wanted some clarity around Zak's DRS when the images came back," revealed Stokes after the Rajkot Test. "The ball is quite clearly missing the stump on the replay. So, when it gets given the umpire's call, and the ball's not actually hitting the stumps, we were a bit bemused. So, we just wanted some clarity from the Hawk-Eye guys." "It came back saying the numbers, or whatever it is that is, it was saying that it was hitting the stumps, but it was the projection that was wrong. I don't know what that means. Something's gone wrong, so, yeah." "It's not me blaming that on what's happened here, like I didn't last week. It's just… what's going on?” the England captain added. ❎ "The ball didn't hit the stump on the replay. We should take away umpires call." 📹 "When the people in charge of it are saying that something's gone wrong, then that says enough." Ben Stokes chats to @cameronponsonby about the DRS decisions in their defeat 🏏 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/89RWI4LT7Z — talkSPORT Cricket (@Cricket_TS) February 18, 2024 × Unhappy Stokes hates playing blame game While Stokes admitted that such calls are not the reason behind them losing two back-to-back Tests, he said something needs to be changed in the technology, starting from the umpire’s call rule. "It is not something you pin down to result of the game. Sometimes when you are on the wrong end of those decisions it hurts, but that is part of the game. You want them to go your way, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't." "You just want a level playing field. The umpires have an incredibly hard job as it is, especially in India when the ball is spinning. My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps. They should take away the umpire's call if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't want to get too much into it because it sounds like we are moaning and saying that is why we lost the Test match,” Stokes added.

Drama over DRS: Ben Stokes calls for umpire’s call scrapping following Crawley’s second-inning dismissal

England captain Ben Stokes feels his team can still make a comeback in the five-match Test series after a 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. With questions being raised on&nbsp;their ultra-attacking approach (which the cricket world calls Bazball) after two failed attempts, Stokes admits people in the dressing room back the idea of attacking from ball one and will continue to stick with it.

England kept themselves alive in this game until the end of day two, only for one poor shot from Joe Root to hamper their momentum and pave way for&nbsp;defeat. India dominated the game afterwards, with young Jaiswal notching up his second double hundred of this series and helping his team march towards the win.

As India now leads the series 2-1, Stokes said his team has all the potential to turn it around from this point and walk away with a 3-2 series win.

"Everyone's got a perception and opinion about things," Stokes said during the post-match presentations. "But again, the people in the dressing room are the opinions that really matter to us.

"We know that things don't always work out exactly how you want it to, but at 2-1 down in the series, still got two games left, so we've got a great chance to come home with the trophy at 3-2,” Stokes told broadcasters after Rajkot game loss.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-rohit-and-jadejas-first-inning-knocks-inspired-me-says-rajkot-test-hero-yashasvi-jaiswal-691440">IND v ENG: Rohit and Jadeja’s first inning knocks inspired me, says Rajkot Test hero Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>

Stokes said while it’s not easy to take a defeat like that, his team will try putting this behind them and work towards achieving better results in the upcoming Tests.

"We'll make sure that we're moving on and focusing on what we've got coming up ahead because games can be won and lost in the head. We'll be leaving all the emotion and disappointment from this week, and moving on to the next one,” the England captain added.

<h2>‘I've got an unbelievable belief in myself’&nbsp;</h2>

Stokes addressed the elephant in the room talking about England’s collapse early on day three, with Root’s ‘worst shot of the century’ as labelled by one of England’s newspapers, also being discussed. Stokes said England had to put the foot on the paddle if they were to go for the win, but, unfortunately, they failed in their attempt this time.

Talking about his shot to Jadeja, which led to his wicket, Stokes said,&nbsp;"If you look at the situation we found ourselves in going into day three, to give ourselves a chance of winning, we had to try and press the button after the lunch break."&nbsp;

"They got some quick wickets, so we had to absorb the pressure that India threw at us there. But personally, I sensed that as an opportunity after lunch to go out and have 'one of my days out', we'll call it."

"I've got an unbelievable belief in myself that I can do that," he added.&nbsp;

"Just like I have an unbelievable belief in every individual in there that, on their day, they can turn the game in our favour. We wanted to be bowling at the back end of day three, that came a lot earlier than we wanted to, but that's how some things go. Nothing goes your way all the time,” Stokes added.

England captain Ben Stokes feels his team can still make a comeback in the five-match Test series after a 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. With questions being raised on their ultra-attacking approach (which the cricket world calls Bazball) after two failed attempts, Stokes admits people in the dressing room back the idea of attacking from ball one and will continue to stick with it.

England captain Ben Stokes feels his team can still make a comeback in the five-match Test series after a 434-run loss in the third Test in Rajkot. With questions being raised on their ultra-attacking approach (which the cricket world calls Bazball) after two failed attempts, Stokes admits people in the dressing room back the idea of attacking from ball one and will continue to stick with it. England kept themselves alive in this game until the end of day two, only for one poor shot from Joe Root to hamper their momentum and pave way for defeat. India dominated the game afterwards, with young Jaiswal notching up his second double hundred of this series and helping his team march towards the win. As India now leads the series 2-1, Stokes said his team has all the potential to turn it around from this point and walk away with a 3-2 series win. "Everyone's got a perception and opinion about things," Stokes said during the post-match presentations. "But again, the people in the dressing room are the opinions that really matter to us. "We know that things don't always work out exactly how you want it to, but at 2-1 down in the series, still got two games left, so we've got a great chance to come home with the trophy at 3-2,” Stokes told broadcasters after Rajkot game loss. ALSO READ: IND v ENG: Rohit and Jadeja’s first inning knocks inspired me, says Rajkot Test hero Yashasvi Jaiswal Stokes said while it’s not easy to take a defeat like that, his team will try putting this behind them and work towards achieving better results in the upcoming Tests. "We'll make sure that we're moving on and focusing on what we've got coming up ahead because games can be won and lost in the head. We'll be leaving all the emotion and disappointment from this week, and moving on to the next one,” the England captain added. ‘I've got an unbelievable belief in myself’ Stokes addressed the elephant in the room talking about England’s collapse early on day three, with Root’s ‘worst shot of the century’ as labelled by one of England’s newspapers, also being discussed. Stokes said England had to put the foot on the paddle if they were to go for the win, but, unfortunately, they failed in their attempt this time. Talking about his shot to Jadeja, which led to his wicket, Stokes said, "If you look at the situation we found ourselves in going into day three, to give ourselves a chance of winning, we had to try and press the button after the lunch break." "They got some quick wickets, so we had to absorb the pressure that India threw at us there. But personally, I sensed that as an opportunity after lunch to go out and have 'one of my days out', we'll call it." "I've got an unbelievable belief in myself that I can do that," he added. "Just like I have an unbelievable belief in every individual in there that, on their day, they can turn the game in our favour. We wanted to be bowling at the back end of day three, that came a lot earlier than we wanted to, but that's how some things go. Nothing goes your way all the time,” Stokes added.

IND v ENG - We can still win this series 3-2: Ben Stokes after Rajkot Test loss

Star of the third Test in Rajkot, Yashasvi Jaiswal admits taking inspiration from first-inning centurions Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja for how they played session by session on day one. Jaiswal slammed his second double-century of the series, hitting an incredible 214* in the second innings, helping India post a mammoth total and eventually win the game by 434 runs.

Jaiswal broke several records on his way to completing his second double ton in Tests. While he surpassed Navjot Singh Sidhu on the list of Indian batters with the most sixes in a single Test, Jaiswal equalled Wasim Akram’s unique tally of smashing 12 sixes in a Test innings.&nbsp;

However, the highlight of his innings was the three massive sixes he hit off James Anderson on back-to-back balls, becoming the first batter to do it against the England great.&nbsp;

Speaking to the broadcaster after the game, which India won by a daunting margin, their biggest in Test history, Jaiswal said he is happy to contribute towards his team’s success. The young left-handed batter said he aims to make it big whenever he is set at the crease, and in this case, despite retiring hurt after completing his hundred, Jaiswal returned to smash the record books.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stoinis-replacement-aaron-hardie-ruled-out-of-new-zealand-t20is-spencer-johnson-added-to-squad-691432">Stoinis' replacement Aaron Hardie ruled out of New Zealand T20Is, Spencer Johnson added to squad</a>

“I’m just trying to make it big whenever I’m set,” Jaiswal said.

“In Test cricket, you never know, I try to make sure I play as long as I can when I’m set. It was pretty difficult initially, I was not getting runs, so I had to play the session and play the bowler. Then when I got set, I could score the runs,” he added.

On his injury, Jaiswal said, “I had my plans about where I could play my shots and get runs. After some time, my back was not good. I didn’t want to go out, but I had to go out because it was too much. When I came back, I tried to give myself time and take it as deep as I can,” Jaiswal noted.&nbsp;

<h2>‘Rohit and Jadeja’s knocks inspired me’&nbsp;</h2>

In the first innings, Captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja were among the runs for India, hitting 131 and 112, respectively. Taking a leaf out of their books on how to make your chance count, Jaiswal said,

“As all my seniors have said, when you are set, make it big and make it count. The way Rohit (Sharma) bhai and Jaddu (Jadeja) bhai played in the first innings really inspired me. The way they played session by session was incredible, the way they put effort motivated all of us,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, with this win, India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Ranchi will host the fourth Test starting February 23.&nbsp;

Star of the third Test in Rajkot, Yashasvi Jaiswal admits taking inspiration from first-inning centurions Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja for how they played session by session on day one.

Star of the third Test in Rajkot, Yashasvi Jaiswal admits taking inspiration from first-inning centurions Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja for how they played session by session on day one. Jaiswal slammed his second double-century of the series, hitting an incredible 214* in the second innings, helping India post a mammoth total and eventually win the game by 434 runs. Jaiswal broke several records on his way to completing his second double ton in Tests. While he surpassed Navjot Singh Sidhu on the list of Indian batters with the most sixes in a single Test, Jaiswal equalled Wasim Akram’s unique tally of smashing 12 sixes in a Test innings. However, the highlight of his innings was the three massive sixes he hit off James Anderson on back-to-back balls, becoming the first batter to do it against the England great. Speaking to the broadcaster after the game, which India won by a daunting margin, their biggest in Test history, Jaiswal said he is happy to contribute towards his team’s success. The young left-handed batter said he aims to make it big whenever he is set at the crease, and in this case, despite retiring hurt after completing his hundred, Jaiswal returned to smash the record books. ALSO READ: Stoinis' replacement Aaron Hardie ruled out of New Zealand T20Is, Spencer Johnson added to squad “I’m just trying to make it big whenever I’m set,” Jaiswal said. “In Test cricket, you never know, I try to make sure I play as long as I can when I’m set. It was pretty difficult initially, I was not getting runs, so I had to play the session and play the bowler. Then when I got set, I could score the runs,” he added. On his injury, Jaiswal said, “I had my plans about where I could play my shots and get runs. After some time, my back was not good. I didn’t want to go out, but I had to go out because it was too much. When I came back, I tried to give myself time and take it as deep as I can,” Jaiswal noted. ‘Rohit and Jadeja’s knocks inspired me’ In the first innings, Captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja were among the runs for India, hitting 131 and 112, respectively. Taking a leaf out of their books on how to make your chance count, Jaiswal said, “As all my seniors have said, when you are set, make it big and make it count. The way Rohit (Sharma) bhai and Jaddu (Jadeja) bhai played in the first innings really inspired me. The way they played session by session was incredible, the way they put effort motivated all of us,” he concluded. Meanwhile, with this win, India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Ranchi will host the fourth Test starting February 23.

IND v ENG: Rohit and Jadeja’s first inning knocks inspired me, says Rajkot Test hero Yashasvi Jaiswal

Former England great Kevin Pietersen cannot stop praising Yashasvi Jaiswal, who completed his fourth Test hundred and the second of the series against England during the ongoing Rajkot Test. Pietersen said for Jaiswal to fall in the Test greats category, he needs to score hundreds outside India that would test his temperament and skill.

Taking to his social media handle (X), Pietersen, before Jaiswal’s second-inning hundred in Rajkot, wrote Jaiswal’s greatest challenge will be to score hundreds in all conditions; however, just after his fourth Test century, KP posted, saying he feels convinced that India opener can smash a century against any opposition anywhere.

Jaiswal had slammed his maiden Test double ton in Vizag, scoring 209.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-3rd-test-day-3-yashasvi-jaiswals-ton-after-mohammed-sirajs-four-for-put-india-on-top-in-rajkot-691211">IND vs ENG, 3rd Test Day 3: Yashasvi Jaiswal's ton after Mohammed Siraj's four-for put India on top in Rajkot</a>

Kevin’s first post read, “I don’t see a single weakness in Jaiswal’s game in Indian conditions.&nbsp;His greatest challenge is going to be scoring runs away from home.”&nbsp;

“To be classified as a great player at the end of your career, you gotta get 100s away from home in ALL conditions.”

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I don’t see a single weakness in Jaiswal’s game in Indian conditions. 
 
His greatest challenge is going to be scoring runs away from home. 
 
To be classified as a great player at the end of your career, you gotta get 100s away from home in ALL conditions.
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His second post read, “And watching Jaiswal very closely over the last couple weeks, he CAN get 100s everywhere and I think he will be a GREAT of the game one day!”

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And watching Jaiswal very closely over the last couple weeks, he CAN get 100s everywhere and I think he will be a GREAT of the game one day! 🩵
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<h2>Jaiswal’s ton puts India ahead in Rajkot</h2>

After dismissing England on 319 in the first innings, Jaiswal got India off to a flyer. Following Rohit Sharma’s wicket, Jaiswal, alongside Shubman Gill, took the attack to the opposition, with the left-handed opener being the aggressor of the two.

Jaiswal kept finding gaps at will, scoring at a quicker rate. Not only against the spinners, but Jaiswal broke the pacer’s backbone too by smashing them left, right and centre.&nbsp;

Watching him lead the attack, Gill continued from where he had left (in the second innings of the previous Test), completing a fifty in the second innings, putting India in the driver’s seat.

However, shortly after completing his third-inning hundred, Wood’s bouncer stuck Jaiswal, which further led him to retire hurt. Tom Hartley picked Rajat Patidar on duck, while nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav remained unbeaten on three.

India’s scorecard at stumps on day three read 196 for two, leading by 322 runs.&nbsp;

Former England great Kevin Pietersen cannot stop praising Yashasvi Jaiswal, who completed his fourth Test hundred and the second of the series against England during the ongoing Rajkot Test.

Former England great Kevin Pietersen cannot stop praising Yashasvi Jaiswal, who completed his fourth Test hundred and the second of the series against England during the ongoing Rajkot Test. Pietersen said for Jaiswal to fall in the Test greats category, he needs to score hundreds outside India that would test his temperament and skill. Taking to his social media handle (X), Pietersen, before Jaiswal’s second-inning hundred in Rajkot, wrote Jaiswal’s greatest challenge will be to score hundreds in all conditions; however, just after his fourth Test century, KP posted, saying he feels convinced that India opener can smash a century against any opposition anywhere. Jaiswal had slammed his maiden Test double ton in Vizag, scoring 209. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG, 3rd Test Day 3: Yashasvi Jaiswal's ton after Mohammed Siraj's four-for put India on top in Rajkot Kevin’s first post read, “I don’t see a single weakness in Jaiswal’s game in Indian conditions. His greatest challenge is going to be scoring runs away from home.” “To be classified as a great player at the end of your career, you gotta get 100s away from home in ALL conditions.” I don’t see a single weakness in Jaiswal’s game in Indian conditions. His greatest challenge is going to be scoring runs away from home. To be classified as a great player at the end of your career, you gotta get 100s away from home in ALL conditions. — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 17, 2024 × His second post read, “And watching Jaiswal very closely over the last couple weeks, he CAN get 100s everywhere and I think he will be a GREAT of the game one day!” And watching Jaiswal very closely over the last couple weeks, he CAN get 100s everywhere and I think he will be a GREAT of the game one day! 🩵 — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 17, 2024 × Jaiswal’s ton puts India ahead in Rajkot After dismissing England on 319 in the first innings, Jaiswal got India off to a flyer. Following Rohit Sharma’s wicket, Jaiswal, alongside Shubman Gill, took the attack to the opposition, with the left-handed opener being the aggressor of the two. Jaiswal kept finding gaps at will, scoring at a quicker rate. Not only against the spinners, but Jaiswal broke the pacer’s backbone too by smashing them left, right and centre. Watching him lead the attack, Gill continued from where he had left (in the second innings of the previous Test), completing a fifty in the second innings, putting India in the driver’s seat. However, shortly after completing his third-inning hundred, Wood’s bouncer stuck Jaiswal, which further led him to retire hurt. Tom Hartley picked Rajat Patidar on duck, while nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav remained unbeaten on three. India’s scorecard at stumps on day three read 196 for two, leading by 322 runs.

Rajkot Test: ‘I don’t see any weakness in his game’ – Kevin Pietersen in awe of Yashasvi Jaiswal

Veteran England seamer James Anderson has no plans to retire from cricket, but whenever he does, he wants to do it on a nice note, bowing out on his terms. Playing his 186th Test match, the most by a fast bowler and second-most after Sachin Tendulkar (200), Anderson is close to completing 700 Test wickets - a unique yet incredible feat for any bowler.

Speaking to The Telegraph, as quoted by talkSPORT, Anderson said the way Eoin Morgan announced his retirement last year, he wants to go out the same way.&nbsp;

“I would like to be able to go out on a nice note. I don’t want to drag it out, and people are thinking: ‘Can you just do one.’ Morgs [Morgan] last year woke up and just knew it was time to call it a day. I am just hoping that is the case,” Anderson told The Telegraph.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-sarfaraz-khan-holds-no-grudge-against-ravindra-jadeja-despite-runout-says-he-was-690666">IND vs ENG: Sarfaraz Khan holds no grudge against Ravindra Jadeja despite runout, says 'he was...'</a>

The 41-year-old seamer said he feels privileged to be in this position where he is staying away from injuries or selection issues. Anderson added he wishes to say goodbye whenever he wants and not when he is forced to.&nbsp;

“I feel privileged to have got in a position where I can make a decision because, as a bowler, it is usually taken out of your hands with injury or selection. It will be nice to go out on my own terms, but when that will be, you just have to wait and see,” Anderson added.

<h2>Anderson closes in on joining elusive club</h2>

Meanwhile, Anderson is third on the list of bowlers with the most wickets in Tests – after Shane Warne (708) and Muttiah Muralitharan (800). The right-hand seamer is also the third-highest wicket-taker across formats, edging closer to 1000 international scalps. Once he breaches that mark, he would join spin greats Warne (1001) and Murali (1347).&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in the ongoing Rajkot Test against India, Anderson has picked just one wicket in the first innings (of Kuldeep Yadav on four), bagging six wickets in total from three innings thus far.&nbsp;

Anderson and Mark Wood are leading England’s pace attack in Rajkot, while the young spin duo of Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed are the other two bowlers.&nbsp;

England and India have won a game each in this five-match Test series.&nbsp;

Veteran England seamer James Anderson has no plans to retire from cricket, but whenever he does, he wants to do it on a nice note, bowing out on his terms. Playing his 186th Test match, the most by a fast bowler and second-most after Sachin Tendulkar (200), Anderson is close to completing 700 Test wickets - a unique yet incredible feat for any bowler.

Veteran England seamer James Anderson has no plans to retire from cricket, but whenever he does, he wants to do it on a nice note, bowing out on his terms. Playing his 186th Test match, the most by a fast bowler and second-most after Sachin Tendulkar (200), Anderson is close to completing 700 Test wickets - a unique yet incredible feat for any bowler. Speaking to The Telegraph, as quoted by talkSPORT, Anderson said the way Eoin Morgan announced his retirement last year, he wants to go out the same way. “I would like to be able to go out on a nice note. I don’t want to drag it out, and people are thinking: ‘Can you just do one.’ Morgs [Morgan] last year woke up and just knew it was time to call it a day. I am just hoping that is the case,” Anderson told The Telegraph. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: Sarfaraz Khan holds no grudge against Ravindra Jadeja despite runout, says 'he was...' The 41-year-old seamer said he feels privileged to be in this position where he is staying away from injuries or selection issues. Anderson added he wishes to say goodbye whenever he wants and not when he is forced to. “I feel privileged to have got in a position where I can make a decision because, as a bowler, it is usually taken out of your hands with injury or selection. It will be nice to go out on my own terms, but when that will be, you just have to wait and see,” Anderson added. Anderson closes in on joining elusive club Meanwhile, Anderson is third on the list of bowlers with the most wickets in Tests – after Shane Warne (708) and Muttiah Muralitharan (800). The right-hand seamer is also the third-highest wicket-taker across formats, edging closer to 1000 international scalps. Once he breaches that mark, he would join spin greats Warne (1001) and Murali (1347). Meanwhile, in the ongoing Rajkot Test against India, Anderson has picked just one wicket in the first innings (of Kuldeep Yadav on four), bagging six wickets in total from three innings thus far. Anderson and Mark Wood are leading England’s pace attack in Rajkot, while the young spin duo of Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed are the other two bowlers. England and India have won a game each in this five-match Test series.

IND v ENG: James Anderson wants to retire on ‘nice note’, says he feels privileged to be where he is

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has joined the elite list of bowlers to scalp 500 wickets in Test format after achieving the feat on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test on Friday (Feb 16). Ashwin, playing in the 98th Test against England joined Anil Kumble as the only other bowler from India to reach the 500-wicket mark. The achievement also makes&nbsp;him the ninth bowler to achieve this&nbsp;feat and the third active player after Nathan Lyon (517) and James Anderson (696) to break into the record list.

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𝗠𝘁. 𝟱𝟬𝟬! 🫡 🫡 
 
Only the second <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> cricketer to reach this landmark in Tests 🙌 🙌 
 
Congratulations, <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashwinravi99</a> 👏 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/bP8wUs6rd0">pic.twitter.com/bP8wUs6rd0</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1758426686431928778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Ashwin joins 500-wicket club</h2>

Entering the third Test match with 499 Test wickets, Ashwin needed one more wicket to join the 500-wicket club. On the first ball of the 14th over, Ashwin’s delivery was misjudged by Zak Crawley who ended up handing a simple catch to Rajat Patidar, and giving the veteran&nbsp;spinner his&nbsp;500th Test wicket.

He now joins the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Anderson in the list of players to achieve this milestone.

<h3>Players with most wickets for India</h3>

Anil Kumble – 619 Wickets in 132 Matches

Ravichandran Ashwin – 500 Wickets in 98 Matches

Kapil Dev – 434 Wickets in 131 Matches

Harbhajan Singh – 417 Wickets in 103 Matches

Ishant Sharma – 311 Wickets in 105 Matches

Zaheer Khan – 311 Wickets in 92 Matches

Ashwin, 37, now in the twilight of his career will look to add more wickets to his tally with two good years still in hand considering his fitness.

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<h2>What happened on Day 2?</h2>

While Ashwin was writing his name in the history books, India started Day 2 at 326/5 as Ravindra Jadeja was the first wicket to fall. The veteran all-rounder scored 112 before getting out in the opening session. Dhruv Jurel, on debut, scored 46 and was given a helping hand from Ashwin with the bat which led India to a score of 400 plus.

Mark Wood ended with four wickets while Rehan Ahmed bagged&nbsp;figures of 85/2. While&nbsp;Anderson, Tom Hartley and Joe Root, got a wicket each with&nbsp;Jadeja falling prey to the latter.

At the time of writing, England made a solid start to their first innings on Day 2 and were 192/2 in 30 overs as Ben Duckett scored the fastest Test hundred for England against India.&nbsp;

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has joined the elite list of bowlers to scalp 500 wickets in Test format after achieving the feat on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test on Friday (Feb 16).

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has joined the elite list of bowlers to scalp 500 wickets in Test format after achieving the feat on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test on Friday (Feb 16). Ashwin, playing in the 98th Test against England joined Anil Kumble as the only other bowler from India to reach the 500-wicket mark. The achievement also makes him the ninth bowler to achieve this feat and the third active player after Nathan Lyon (517) and James Anderson (696) to break into the record list. 𝗠𝘁. 𝟱𝟬𝟬! 🫡 🫡 Only the second #TeamIndia cricketer to reach this landmark in Tests 🙌 🙌 Congratulations, @ashwinravi99 👏 👏#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/bP8wUs6rd0 — BCCI (@BCCI) February 16, 2024 × Ashwin joins 500-wicket club Entering the third Test match with 499 Test wickets, Ashwin needed one more wicket to join the 500-wicket club. On the first ball of the 14th over, Ashwin’s delivery was misjudged by Zak Crawley who ended up handing a simple catch to Rajat Patidar, and giving the veteran spinner his 500th Test wicket. He now joins the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Anderson in the list of players to achieve this milestone. Players with most wickets for India Anil Kumble – 619 Wickets in 132 Matches Ravichandran Ashwin – 500 Wickets in 98 Matches Kapil Dev – 434 Wickets in 131 Matches Harbhajan Singh – 417 Wickets in 103 Matches Ishant Sharma – 311 Wickets in 105 Matches Zaheer Khan – 311 Wickets in 92 Matches Ashwin, 37, now in the twilight of his career will look to add more wickets to his tally with two good years still in hand considering his fitness. ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan skips latest Ranji Trophy final round despite BCCI's directive What happened on Day 2? While Ashwin was writing his name in the history books, India started Day 2 at 326/5 as Ravindra Jadeja was the first wicket to fall. The veteran all-rounder scored 112 before getting out in the opening session. Dhruv Jurel, on debut, scored 46 and was given a helping hand from Ashwin with the bat which led India to a score of 400 plus. Mark Wood ended with four wickets while Rehan Ahmed bagged figures of 85/2. While Anderson, Tom Hartley and Joe Root, got a wicket each with Jadeja falling prey to the latter. At the time of writing, England made a solid start to their first innings on Day 2 and were 192/2 in 30 overs as Ben Duckett scored the fastest Test hundred for England against India.

IND vs ENG: Ravi Ashwin enters 500-wicket club on Day 2 of Rajkot Test, joins Anil Kumble in elite list

England gave&nbsp;a perfect response to India on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test with Ben Duckett scoring a quickfire hundred to counter the hosts. The day headlined by Ravichandran Ashwin’s 500th Test wicket saw England give a perfect response as they closed the day at 207/2 having initially bowled out India for 445. The visitors still trail India by 238 runs with Duckett unbeaten on 133. Both India and England will now look forward to Day 3 with the match reaching the decisive stage.

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An assertive century from Ben Duckett ensured that England finished strong at the end of the second day's play.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTC25?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTC25</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> 📝: <a href="https://t.co/1EwxUFWYGn">https://t.co/1EwxUFWYGn</a> <a href="https://t.co/qA7Ouwprr0">pic.twitter.com/qA7Ouwprr0</a>
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<h2>England off to good start</h2>

Having bowled out India for 445 on Day 2, England made a good start to their innings as Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley stitched a partnership of 89 runs for the opening wicket. On the first ball of the 14th over, Ashwin’s delivery was misjudged by Crawley who&nbsp;ended up handing a simple catch to Rajat Patidar, in the process completing his 500 Test wickets. He joins the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Anderson in the list of players.

After the wicket, Duckett continued his impressive run and scored the fastest hundred against India in the Test. The batter’s third Test hundred&nbsp;helped England maintain the pace as they showcased the Bazball style of cricket on Indian pitches. At Stumps England were 207/2 with Duckett unbeaten on 133 while Joe Root is batting on 9.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ishan-kishan-skips-latest-ranji-trophy-final-round-despite-bccis-directive-690906">Ishan Kishan skips latest Ranji Trophy final round despite BCCI's directive</a>

<h2>What happened in India’s innings?</h2>

While Ashwin was writing his name in the history books, India were earlier bowled out for 445 with Rohit Sharma scoring 131 while Ravindra Jadeja scored 112 before getting out in the opening session of Day 2. Dhruv Jurel, on debut, also scored 46 getting a helping hand from Ashwin with the bat which led India to a score of 400 plus. Batting overnight, India added 119 runs from their 326/5 scored at stumps from Day 1.

Mark Wood ended with four wickets while Rehan Ahmed ended with figures of 85/2. There were wickets a piece for Anderson, Tom Hartley and Joe Root, with the latter getting the wicket of Jadeja.

England gave a perfect response to India on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test with Ben Duckett scoring a quickfire hundred to counter the hosts. The day headlined by Ravichandran Ashwin’s 500th Test wicket saw England give a perfect response as they closed the day at 207/2 having initially bowled out India for 445.

England gave a perfect response to India on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test with Ben Duckett scoring a quickfire hundred to counter the hosts. The day headlined by Ravichandran Ashwin’s 500th Test wicket saw England give a perfect response as they closed the day at 207/2 having initially bowled out India for 445. The visitors still trail India by 238 runs with Duckett unbeaten on 133. Both India and England will now look forward to Day 3 with the match reaching the decisive stage. An assertive century from Ben Duckett ensured that England finished strong at the end of the second day's play.#WTC25 | #INDvENG 📝: https://t.co/1EwxUFWYGn pic.twitter.com/qA7Ouwprr0 — ICC (@ICC) February 16, 2024 × England off to good start Having bowled out India for 445 on Day 2, England made a good start to their innings as Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley stitched a partnership of 89 runs for the opening wicket. On the first ball of the 14th over, Ashwin’s delivery was misjudged by Crawley who ended up handing a simple catch to Rajat Patidar, in the process completing his 500 Test wickets. He joins the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Anderson in the list of players. After the wicket, Duckett continued his impressive run and scored the fastest hundred against India in the Test. The batter’s third Test hundred helped England maintain the pace as they showcased the Bazball style of cricket on Indian pitches. At Stumps England were 207/2 with Duckett unbeaten on 133 while Joe Root is batting on 9. ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan skips latest Ranji Trophy final round despite BCCI's directive What happened in India’s innings? While Ashwin was writing his name in the history books, India were earlier bowled out for 445 with Rohit Sharma scoring 131 while Ravindra Jadeja scored 112 before getting out in the opening session of Day 2. Dhruv Jurel, on debut, also scored 46 getting a helping hand from Ashwin with the bat which led India to a score of 400 plus. Batting overnight, India added 119 runs from their 326/5 scored at stumps from Day 1. Mark Wood ended with four wickets while Rehan Ahmed ended with figures of 85/2. There were wickets a piece for Anderson, Tom Hartley and Joe Root, with the latter getting the wicket of Jadeja.

Rajkot Test Day 2: Ben Duckett slams ton after Ashwin's 500th Test scalp as match hangs in balance

Ace India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was penalised on day two of the ongoing Rajkot Test against England for running on the protected area of the pitch. The on-field umpires had already warned the home side when Ravindra Jadeja, on day one, did the same; when this incident occurred for the second time, they penalised Ashwin – giving England an extra five-run cushion to start their innings. As a result, England’s scorecard while starting their first innings will read 5/0.

Per the law book, the protected area is referred to as, "that area of the pitch contained within a rectangle bounded at each end by imaginary lines parallel to the popping creases and 5 ft/1.52 m in front of each, and on the sides by imaginary lines, one each side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps, each parallel to it and 1 ft/30.48 cm from it".

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kane-williamsons-historic-ton-leads-new-zealand-to-maiden-test-series-win-over-south-africa-690825">Kane Williamson’s historic ton leads New Zealand to maiden Test series win over South Africa</a>

The incident happened during the 102nd over on day two when Ashwin pushed the ball off Rehan Ahmed towards the cover and went for the run, only for him to run on the protected area. Though Dhruv Jurel sent him back, the umpires went up&nbsp;to Ashwin, informing him about the mistake that he had made and the repercussions that followed.&nbsp;

Ashwin looked visibly upset with the umpires'&nbsp;call to penalise him.

<h2>What does the rule book say?</h2>

According to the rules laid down,&nbsp;in Law 41.14 in this case, concerning batters damaging the pitch, "It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. If the striker enters the protected area in playing or playing at the ball, he/she must move from it immediately thereafter. A batter will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that his/her presence on the pitch is without reasonable cause."

"If either batter causes deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch, other than as in 41.15, at the first instance, the umpire seeing the contravention shall, when the ball is dead, inform the other umpire of the occurrence. The bowler's end umpire shall then warn both batters that the practice is unfair and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This warning shall apply throughout the innings. The umpire shall so inform each incoming batter, inform the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred,” it further states.

However, India are in a comfortable position, scoring over 400 in the first innings. Captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja starred with the bat in hand, hitting respective centuries.&nbsp;

Ace India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was penalised on day two of the ongoing Rajkot Test against England for running on the protected area of the pitch. The on-field umpires had already warned the home side when Ravindra Jadeja, on day one, did the same; when this incident occurred for the second time, they penalised Ashwin – giving England an extra five-run cushion to start their innings.

Ace India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was penalised on day two of the ongoing Rajkot Test against England for running on the protected area of the pitch. The on-field umpires had already warned the home side when Ravindra Jadeja, on day one, did the same; when this incident occurred for the second time, they penalised Ashwin – giving England an extra five-run cushion to start their innings. As a result, England’s scorecard while starting their first innings will read 5/0. Per the law book, the protected area is referred to as, "that area of the pitch contained within a rectangle bounded at each end by imaginary lines parallel to the popping creases and 5 ft/1.52 m in front of each, and on the sides by imaginary lines, one each side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps, each parallel to it and 1 ft/30.48 cm from it". ALSO READ: Kane Williamson’s historic ton leads New Zealand to maiden Test series win over South Africa The incident happened during the 102nd over on day two when Ashwin pushed the ball off Rehan Ahmed towards the cover and went for the run, only for him to run on the protected area. Though Dhruv Jurel sent him back, the umpires went up to Ashwin, informing him about the mistake that he had made and the repercussions that followed. Ashwin looked visibly upset with the umpires' call to penalise him. What does the rule book say? According to the rules laid down, in Law 41.14 in this case, concerning batters damaging the pitch, "It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. If the striker enters the protected area in playing or playing at the ball, he/she must move from it immediately thereafter. A batter will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that his/her presence on the pitch is without reasonable cause." "If either batter causes deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch, other than as in 41.15, at the first instance, the umpire seeing the contravention shall, when the ball is dead, inform the other umpire of the occurrence. The bowler's end umpire shall then warn both batters that the practice is unfair and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This warning shall apply throughout the innings. The umpire shall so inform each incoming batter, inform the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred,” it further states. However, India are in a comfortable position, scoring over 400 in the first innings. Captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja starred with the bat in hand, hitting respective centuries.

IND v ENG, Rajkot Test: Here’s why England will start their first innings with five runs on board

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test against England in Rajkot. The home team has made several changes to their playing XI with two debutants – Sarfaraz Khan and keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel&nbsp;– coming in, while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj have also returned to the squad. For England, Mark Wood returns to the playing XI.&nbsp;

<h2>Here are the playing XIs of both teams -</h2>

INDIA - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

ENGLAND - Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Injuries and unavailability of a few players forced India to make as many as four changes to their playing XI from the last game, which they won by 106 runs in Vizag. With Virat Kohli (out of the series due to personal reasons), Shreyas Iyer (out with back stiffness and poor form) and KL Rahul (quadriceps injury) all unavailable for selection for this game, India will play an inexperienced middle order – Rajat Patidar (4), Sarfaraz Khan (debutant) and Dhruv Jurel (at number six).

Seasoned campaigner Ravindra Jadeja also returns after missing the previous match, replacing Axar Patel. While Ravi Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Jasprit Bumrah retained their places in the side, India have called in Mohammed Siraj for this game.&nbsp;

Per BCCI’s latest statement on Mukesh Kumar, who got replaced by Siraj, the seamer has been&nbsp;released from the squad for Rajkot as he rejoins&nbsp;his Ranji Team (Bengal) and will return to the Indian Team setup for the fourth Test in Ranchi.

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UPDATE: Mr Mukesh Kumar has been released from the India squad for the third Test against England in Rajkot. 
 
He will join his Ranji Trophy team, Bengal, for the team's next fixture before linking up with Team India in Ranchi.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a>
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<h3>Stokes playing his 100th Test</h3>

England captain Ben Stokes is playing his 100th Test, while veteran seamer James Anderson is just five wickets away from 700 Test wickets - first pacer and third after Muttiah Muralitharan and late Shane Warne.

Unlike India, England made just one change to their playing XI, with Mark Wood coming into the side for the third Test.&nbsp;

Without Jack Leach, who got ruled out of the Test series, Stokes sounded convinced of playing with two lesser-experienced spin duo of Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley.&nbsp;

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test against England in Rajkot. The home team has made several changes to their playing XI with two debutants – Sarfaraz Khan and keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel – coming in, while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj have also returned to the squad.

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test against England in Rajkot. The home team has made several changes to their playing XI with two debutants – Sarfaraz Khan and keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel – coming in, while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj have also returned to the squad. For England, Mark Wood returns to the playing XI. Here are the playing XIs of both teams - INDIA - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj ENGLAND - Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson Injuries and unavailability of a few players forced India to make as many as four changes to their playing XI from the last game, which they won by 106 runs in Vizag. With Virat Kohli (out of the series due to personal reasons), Shreyas Iyer (out with back stiffness and poor form) and KL Rahul (quadriceps injury) all unavailable for selection for this game, India will play an inexperienced middle order – Rajat Patidar (4), Sarfaraz Khan (debutant) and Dhruv Jurel (at number six). Seasoned campaigner Ravindra Jadeja also returns after missing the previous match, replacing Axar Patel. While Ravi Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Jasprit Bumrah retained their places in the side, India have called in Mohammed Siraj for this game. Per BCCI’s latest statement on Mukesh Kumar, who got replaced by Siraj, the seamer has been released from the squad for Rajkot as he rejoins his Ranji Team (Bengal) and will return to the Indian Team setup for the fourth Test in Ranchi. UPDATE: Mr Mukesh Kumar has been released from the India squad for the third Test against England in Rajkot. He will join his Ranji Trophy team, Bengal, for the team's next fixture before linking up with Team India in Ranchi.#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank — BCCI (@BCCI) February 15, 2024 × Stokes playing his 100th Test England captain Ben Stokes is playing his 100th Test, while veteran seamer James Anderson is just five wickets away from 700 Test wickets - first pacer and third after Muttiah Muralitharan and late Shane Warne. Unlike India, England made just one change to their playing XI, with Mark Wood coming into the side for the third Test. Without Jack Leach, who got ruled out of the Test series, Stokes sounded convinced of playing with two lesser-experienced spin duo of Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley.

Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel debut for India as hosts bat first against England in Rajkot

Rohit Sharma scored an impressive 131 on the opening day of the third Test between India and England on Thursday (Feb 15). After hosts decided to bat first, Rohit-led India were tottering at 33 for 3 before Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja (110 not out) resurrected the Indian innings, with a 204-run fourth-wicket stand, as hosts ended day's play at 326 for 5.&nbsp;

Rohit, who looked in control, played a cautious and mature knock after India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rajat Patidar for cheap. He reached his 11th Test ton, third versus England, and equalled Kapil Dev in an elite list for Indian captains. Rohit is now equal with Kapil (3) in terms of most hundreds by Indian captain in Tests. Virat Kohli leads the list with 20 hundreds as India captain in whites. The list also features some big names such as Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Md Azharuddin, etc.

MOST HUNDREDS AS INDIAN TEST&nbsp;CAPTAIN 
Virat Kohli - 20 
Sunil Gavaskar - 11 
Mohammad Azharuddin - 9 
Sachin Tendulkar - 7 
MS Dhoni - 5 
Sourav Ganguly - 5 
MAK Pataudi - 5 
Rahul Dravid - 4 
Kapil Dev - 3 
Rohit Sharma - 3*

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/anil-kumble-not-surprised-with-rohit-sharma-confirmed-to-lead-india-in-t20-world-cup-heres-why-690489">Anil Kumble not 'surprised' with Rohit Sharma confirmed to lead India in T20 World Cup! Here's why -</a>

In addition, Rohit, at 36 years and 291 days, became the oldest Indian captain to hit an international hundred, breaking Vijay Hazare's feat attained in 1951.

After Rohit fell for 131, in the final session, Jadeja and debutant Sarfaraz Khan added another 77 runs, for the fifth wicket, before the latter fell for an attacking 62-ball 66. At the end of day's play, Jadeja remains not out -- along with Kuldeep Yadav -- and will be eager to carry on and get a big score for India to cross the 450-run mark.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma scored an impressive 131 on the opening day of the third Test between India and England on Thursday (Feb 15). After hosts decided to bat first, Rohit-led India were tottering at 33 for 3 before Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja (110 not out) resurrected the Indian innings, with a 204-run fourth-wicket stand, as hosts ended day's play at 326 for 5.

Rohit Sharma scored an impressive 131 on the opening day of the third Test between India and England on Thursday (Feb 15). After hosts decided to bat first, Rohit-led India were tottering at 33 for 3 before Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja (110 not out) resurrected the Indian innings, with a 204-run fourth-wicket stand, as hosts ended day's play at 326 for 5. Rohit, who looked in control, played a cautious and mature knock after India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rajat Patidar for cheap. He reached his 11th Test ton, third versus England, and equalled Kapil Dev in an elite list for Indian captains. Rohit is now equal with Kapil (3) in terms of most hundreds by Indian captain in Tests. Virat Kohli leads the list with 20 hundreds as India captain in whites. The list also features some big names such as Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Md Azharuddin, etc. MOST HUNDREDS AS INDIAN TEST CAPTAIN Virat Kohli - 20 Sunil Gavaskar - 11 Mohammad Azharuddin - 9 Sachin Tendulkar - 7 MS Dhoni - 5 Sourav Ganguly - 5 MAK Pataudi - 5 Rahul Dravid - 4 Kapil Dev - 3 Rohit Sharma - 3* Also read: Anil Kumble not 'surprised' with Rohit Sharma confirmed to lead India in T20 World Cup! Here's why - In addition, Rohit, at 36 years and 291 days, became the oldest Indian captain to hit an international hundred, breaking Vijay Hazare's feat attained in 1951. After Rohit fell for 131, in the final session, Jadeja and debutant Sarfaraz Khan added another 77 runs, for the fifth wicket, before the latter fell for an attacking 62-ball 66. At the end of day's play, Jadeja remains not out -- along with Kuldeep Yadav -- and will be eager to carry on and get a big score for India to cross the 450-run mark.

Rajkot Test: Rohit Sharma emulates Kapil Dev in elite list for Indian captains during 131-run knock

England have announced their playing XI for the third Test versus India which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday (Feb 15). Mark Wood has been recalled in the playing XI whereas Shoaib Bashir has been left out. Wood was part of England's 28-run win in the first Test in Hyderabad, however, England went ahead with James Anderson as the only pacer in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which the visitors lost by 106 runs. For the third Test, England will field two seamers in Wood and Anderson whereas their spin department will comprise Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Joe Root.&nbsp;

England captain Ben Stokes will also be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on Rohit Sharma-led India in the Rajkot Test. Thus, he will be eager to make a mark with his all-round skills and captaincy decisions. The visitors have backed their batting unit -- with Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley being their top performers so far -- but will need more from the likes of Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. On the other hand, all eyes will be on their spin trio of Hartley (who accounted for 7 for 62 in the final innings in Hyderabad), Rehan Ahmed (who recently dealt with visa issues while re-entering India) and Root.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-he-is-overthinking-being-over-cautious-former-indian-pacer-on-rohit-sharmas-form-struggles-690129">Ind vs Eng: He is overthinking, being over-cautious - Former Indian pacer on Rohit Sharma's form struggles</a>

England have opted for two pacers in Wood and Anderson and, thus, India can expect a barrage of bouncers. The two speedsters will look to make the most of the new ball and also make use of any&nbsp;reserve swing on offer.&nbsp;

England Men's XI

1. Zak Crawley 
2. Ben Duckett 
3. Ollie Pope 
4. Joe Root 
5. Jonny Bairstow 
6. Ben Stokes (C) 
7. Ben Foakes 
8. Rehan Ahmed 
9. Tom Hartley 
10. Mark Wood 
11. James Anderson

The five-match Test series is currently level&nbsp;at 1-1 and the last three Tests are expected to go down to the wire. It will be interesting to see India's playing XI, which is expected to be out only after the toss on Day 1 of the third Test on Thursday morning.&nbsp;

England have announced their playing XI for the third Test versus India which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday (Feb 15). Mark Wood has been recalled in the playing XI whereas Shoaib Bashir has been left out.

England have announced their playing XI for the third Test versus India which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday (Feb 15). Mark Wood has been recalled in the playing XI whereas Shoaib Bashir has been left out. Wood was part of England's 28-run win in the first Test in Hyderabad, however, England went ahead with James Anderson as the only pacer in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which the visitors lost by 106 runs. For the third Test, England will field two seamers in Wood and Anderson whereas their spin department will comprise Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Joe Root. England captain Ben Stokes will also be playing his 100th Test when his side takes on Rohit Sharma-led India in the Rajkot Test. Thus, he will be eager to make a mark with his all-round skills and captaincy decisions. The visitors have backed their batting unit -- with Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley being their top performers so far -- but will need more from the likes of Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. On the other hand, all eyes will be on their spin trio of Hartley (who accounted for 7 for 62 in the final innings in Hyderabad), Rehan Ahmed (who recently dealt with visa issues while re-entering India) and Root. Also read: Ind vs Eng: He is overthinking, being over-cautious - Former Indian pacer on Rohit Sharma's form struggles England have opted for two pacers in Wood and Anderson and, thus, India can expect a barrage of bouncers. The two speedsters will look to make the most of the new ball and also make use of any reserve swing on offer. England Men's XI 1. Zak Crawley 2. Ben Duckett 3. Ollie Pope 4. Joe Root 5. Jonny Bairstow 6. Ben Stokes (C) 7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed 9. Tom Hartley 10. Mark Wood 11. James Anderson The five-match Test series is currently level at 1-1 and the last three Tests are expected to go down to the wire. It will be interesting to see India's playing XI, which is expected to be out only after the toss on Day 1 of the third Test on Thursday morning.

Ind vs Eng: Mark Wood returns as England name playing XI for Rajkot Test vs India

Ahead of the third Test versus England, in Rajkot, India's wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav spoke on Ravindra Jadeja's availability for the crucial encounter. Jadeja featured in the first Test, in Hyderabad, but missed the second Test, in Visakhapatnam, due to&nbsp;a hamstring injury. He is now back in the Indian squad after attaining full fitness but it remains to be seen if he will be included in the playing XI straightaway. Given Rohit Sharma-led India have a lot of injury concerns, Jadeja's availability remains crucial for the upcoming Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association, Rajkot.&nbsp;

Addressing the media in the pre-match presser, spinner Kuldeep opined on Jadeja and said on his availability, "I think so. Ravindra Jadeja did his routine and had a session yesterday too. He is available." Thus, the 29-year-old is confident of the all-rounder's return to the playing XI for the third Test.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-ks-bharat-or-dhruv-jurel-former-indian-opener-makes-his-pick-for-3rd-test-689851">Ind vs Eng: KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel? Former Indian opener makes his pick for 3rd Test</a>

If Jadeja returns, there will be a toss-up between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Given R Ashwin will spearhead the spin department, only one among Kuldeep and Axar will be part of the spin trio. For India, they will hope for Jadeja to be part of the playing XI given they are already without Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, with injuries, whereas Virat Kohli remains unavailable for personal reasons.&nbsp;

Jadeja accounted for five wickets in the first Test in Hyderabad, along with&nbsp;an impressive 80 in the first innings. His experience on his home ground, in Rajkot, will also come in handy for Rohit &amp; Co.&nbsp;

India’s squad for the final three England Tests&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, Ravindra Jadeja, Devdutt Padikkal, KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep

Ahead of the third Test versus England, in Rajkot, India's wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav spoke on Ravindra Jadeja's availability for the crucial encounter. Jadeja featured in the first Test, in Hyderabad, but missed the second Test, in Visakhapatnam, due to a hamstring injury.

Ahead of the third Test versus England, in Rajkot, India's wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav spoke on Ravindra Jadeja's availability for the crucial encounter. Jadeja featured in the first Test, in Hyderabad, but missed the second Test, in Visakhapatnam, due to a hamstring injury. He is now back in the Indian squad after attaining full fitness but it remains to be seen if he will be included in the playing XI straightaway. Given Rohit Sharma-led India have a lot of injury concerns, Jadeja's availability remains crucial for the upcoming Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association, Rajkot. Addressing the media in the pre-match presser, spinner Kuldeep opined on Jadeja and said on his availability, "I think so. Ravindra Jadeja did his routine and had a session yesterday too. He is available." Thus, the 29-year-old is confident of the all-rounder's return to the playing XI for the third Test. Also read: Ind vs Eng: KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel? Former Indian opener makes his pick for 3rd Test If Jadeja returns, there will be a toss-up between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Given R Ashwin will spearhead the spin department, only one among Kuldeep and Axar will be part of the spin trio. For India, they will hope for Jadeja to be part of the playing XI given they are already without Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, with injuries, whereas Virat Kohli remains unavailable for personal reasons. Jadeja accounted for five wickets in the first Test in Hyderabad, along with an impressive 80 in the first innings. His experience on his home ground, in Rajkot, will also come in handy for Rohit & Co. India’s squad for the final three England Tests Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, Ravindra Jadeja, Devdutt Padikkal, KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep

Ind vs Eng: 'He is...' - Kuldeep Yadav gives update on Ravindra Jadeja's availability for Rajkot Test

Untimely injuries to top middle-order players like Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, and with Virat Kohli unavailable for the remainder of England Tests, India will be forced to play several debutants in the third Test in Rajkot, starting on Thursday (Feb 15). As per the latest reports, the selectors are unhappy with KS Bharat’s contribution thus far and are planning to replace him with uncapped Dhruv Jurel in the playing XI.

Sources close to the information revealed that the selectors seemed to have run out of patience with Bharat, with his batting and keeping being considerably under-par in this series. In seven Tests played so far, Bharat has scored 221 runs at 20.99, with 44 being his highest.&nbsp;

"Bharat's batting has been well below-par, while his 'keeping hasn't been great either. He isn't making use of his chances. Jurel, on the other hand, is talented, has a good attitude and has a bright future. He has done well for Uttar Pradesh, India-A, and the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Don't be surprised if Jurel makes his Test debut at Rajkot," an unnamed source told Times of India.&nbsp;

<h2>Either&nbsp;Padikkal or Sarfaraz to debut in Rajkot</h2>

With all three – Kohli, Iyer and Rahul out from reckoning for the third Test, India will stick with Rajat Patidar and might play either Sarfaraz Khan or Devdutt Padikkal in the middle order. While captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill play at their respective positions, the newcomers will come in at number four and five, respectively.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-kl-rahul-ruled-out-of-rajkot-test-bcci-names-replacement-689563">IND vs ENG: KL Rahul ruled out of Rajkot Test, BCCI names replacement</a>

The latest reports suggested that Ravindra Jadeja is declared fit for the home Test and will return to the playing XI, replacing Axar Patel or playing as a spare all-rounder alongside Ravi Ashwin.

<h3>Bumrah likely to be rested for the Ranchi game</h3>

Contrary to earlier reports that said the BCCI, in consultation with the team management, decided to rest Bumrah for the third Test, the India seamer will now play in Rajkot and be rested for the fourth game in Ranchi.&nbsp;

"He (Bumrah) could be rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi, which means that he will be fresh and firing for the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala in early March, which could well be the decider of this closely contested series. That's the point where Bumrah's presence will make a difference," the source added.

<h3>Slow-turner on offer</h3>

Instead of preparing a flat deck or a rank-turner in Rajkot, the team management has asked for a slow-turner for the third Test.

"The Indian team management is comfortable with a slow turner. They don't want a raging turner," the source added.

Untimely injuries to top middle-order players like Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, and with Virat Kohli unavailable for the remainder of England Tests, India will be forced to play several debutants in the third Test in Rajkot, starting on Thursday (Feb 15).

Untimely injuries to top middle-order players like Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, and with Virat Kohli unavailable for the remainder of England Tests, India will be forced to play several debutants in the third Test in Rajkot, starting on Thursday (Feb 15). As per the latest reports, the selectors are unhappy with KS Bharat’s contribution thus far and are planning to replace him with uncapped Dhruv Jurel in the playing XI. Sources close to the information revealed that the selectors seemed to have run out of patience with Bharat, with his batting and keeping being considerably under-par in this series. In seven Tests played so far, Bharat has scored 221 runs at 20.99, with 44 being his highest. "Bharat's batting has been well below-par, while his 'keeping hasn't been great either. He isn't making use of his chances. Jurel, on the other hand, is talented, has a good attitude and has a bright future. He has done well for Uttar Pradesh, India-A, and the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Don't be surprised if Jurel makes his Test debut at Rajkot," an unnamed source told Times of India. Either Padikkal or Sarfaraz to debut in Rajkot With all three – Kohli, Iyer and Rahul out from reckoning for the third Test, India will stick with Rajat Patidar and might play either Sarfaraz Khan or Devdutt Padikkal in the middle order. While captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill play at their respective positions, the newcomers will come in at number four and five, respectively. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: KL Rahul ruled out of Rajkot Test, BCCI names replacement The latest reports suggested that Ravindra Jadeja is declared fit for the home Test and will return to the playing XI, replacing Axar Patel or playing as a spare all-rounder alongside Ravi Ashwin. Bumrah likely to be rested for the Ranchi game Contrary to earlier reports that said the BCCI, in consultation with the team management, decided to rest Bumrah for the third Test, the India seamer will now play in Rajkot and be rested for the fourth game in Ranchi. "He (Bumrah) could be rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi, which means that he will be fresh and firing for the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala in early March, which could well be the decider of this closely contested series. That's the point where Bumrah's presence will make a difference," the source added. Slow-turner on offer Instead of preparing a flat deck or a rank-turner in Rajkot, the team management has asked for a slow-turner for the third Test. "The Indian team management is comfortable with a slow turner. They don't want a raging turner," the source added.

India to play several debutants against England in Rajkot Test – Reports

Bengal seamer Akash Deep was surprised to receive his maiden India Test call-up for the remaining three matches against England. While standing near the boundary line during his state's Ranji Trophy game against Kerela in Tumba, the right-arm seamer received the news of his Test selection through his teammates sitting in the dressing room. Everyone celebrated Akash's Test call-up by clapping and congratulating him.

"I was hopeful that in the near future, I might get a Test call-up if I keep performing, but I didn't expect that it would come by the third match itself," Akash Deep told news agency PTI from his hotel room in Tumba.&nbsp;

Since making his Ranji Trophy debut for Bengal in 2019, Akash has picked up 103 wickets from 29 games. However, his impressive showing against England Lions last month, wherein he bagged 11 wickets from two unofficial Tests, seemed to lock his chances of breaking into the Test side.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saurashtra-cricket-association-to-felicitate-ravindra-jadeja-and-chesteshwar-pujara-ahead-of-rajkot-test-689025">Saurashtra Cricket Association to felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of Rajkot Test</a>

After years of toiling in India’s premier domestic tournament, Akash Deep got picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. The 27-year-old was named in the ODI squad for the South Africa series late last year but didn’t get to play a game. That experience, however, made him realise what aspects of his bowling he needed to work more on.

“Inswing is my stock delivery, but at this level, you need to have outswing and reverse swing and, more importantly, need to control the swing," Akash Deep said.

"I was in the ODI squad in South Africa and realised that more than skill, at this level, it is more about the mental strength of being able to execute plans under pressure," he added.

<h2>India ready for Bazball challenge without star players</h2>

Several first-team players are missing from the squad for the last three Tests against England, with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer being the top names.

While Test regulars Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are also overlooked, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s participation is under a dark cloud owing to their fitness status.

In the fast-bowling department, alongside vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, India has Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep. While seasoned campaigner Ravi Ashwin will lead the spin attack, Kuldeep Yadav and two all-rounders, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, are also there.

Rajkot in Gujarat will host the third of the five Tests, starting on Thursday (Feb 15).&nbsp;

Bengal seamer Akash Deep was surprised to receive his maiden India Test call-up for the remaining three matches against England. While standing near the boundary line during his state's Ranji Trophy game against Kerela in Tumba, the right-arm seamer received the news of his Test selection through his teammates sitting in the dressing room.

Bengal seamer Akash Deep was surprised to receive his maiden India Test call-up for the remaining three matches against England. While standing near the boundary line during his state's Ranji Trophy game against Kerela in Tumba, the right-arm seamer received the news of his Test selection through his teammates sitting in the dressing room. Everyone celebrated Akash's Test call-up by clapping and congratulating him. "I was hopeful that in the near future, I might get a Test call-up if I keep performing, but I didn't expect that it would come by the third match itself," Akash Deep told news agency PTI from his hotel room in Tumba. Since making his Ranji Trophy debut for Bengal in 2019, Akash has picked up 103 wickets from 29 games. However, his impressive showing against England Lions last month, wherein he bagged 11 wickets from two unofficial Tests, seemed to lock his chances of breaking into the Test side. ALSO READ: Saurashtra Cricket Association to felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of Rajkot Test After years of toiling in India’s premier domestic tournament, Akash Deep got picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. The 27-year-old was named in the ODI squad for the South Africa series late last year but didn’t get to play a game. That experience, however, made him realise what aspects of his bowling he needed to work more on. “Inswing is my stock delivery, but at this level, you need to have outswing and reverse swing and, more importantly, need to control the swing," Akash Deep said. "I was in the ODI squad in South Africa and realised that more than skill, at this level, it is more about the mental strength of being able to execute plans under pressure," he added. India ready for Bazball challenge without star players Several first-team players are missing from the squad for the last three Tests against England, with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer being the top names. While Test regulars Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are also overlooked, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s participation is under a dark cloud owing to their fitness status. In the fast-bowling department, alongside vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, India has Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep. While seasoned campaigner Ravi Ashwin will lead the spin attack, Kuldeep Yadav and two all-rounders, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, are also there. Rajkot in Gujarat will host the third of the five Tests, starting on Thursday (Feb 15).

IND v ENG: Bengal pacer Akash Deep surprised to receive maiden India Test call-up for England series

The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) president, Jaydev Shah, announced that they will felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara for their contribution to Indian cricket ahead of the third Test between India and England in Rajkot. Pujara and Jadeja have made their state and country proud on countless occasions, with both being the senior members of this decorated Indian Team.

While Pujara is the 13th Indian cricketer to complete 100 plus Tests, Jadeja is a seasoned campaigner and a match-winner across all formats. The left-handed Jadeja holds the number one position in the ICC’s Test all-rounder rankings and is a Champions Trophy winner (in 2013).&nbsp;

As the Rajkot stadium is set to be renamed the Niranjan Shah Stadium, the state association will felicitate both players during the name-announcing ceremony on Thursday (Feb 15) - day one of the third India-England Test.

“We will be felicitating both Pujara and Ravindra during the function for the new name of the stadium,” SCA President Jaydev Shah said.

Meanwhile, Jadeja and Pujara are not named on the squad list for the remaining three Tests, with Jadeja out with injury and Pujara, despite scoring runs for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, being overlooked for younger players.&nbsp;

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Jaydev said he would have loved to have both playing for India in the third Test but understands the reason behind their omissions, saying it’s all part of the game.

“I can’t say much on that (Pujara not playing) because it’s the team management and selectors’ call, but had he been there, we would have been very proud.”&nbsp;

“It’s not that we are not proud now, but we would have been prouder had he played. He has played over 100 Test matches and not many have managed to do that in India. Him playing at Rajkot would have been great, but that’s part of the game. You don’t get everything what you dream. He has worked very hard. He made Saurashtra very proud,” Jaydev added.

<h2>India eyes lead in Rajkot</h2>

After losing the first Test in Hyderabad, India levelled the five-match series by winning the next game in Vizag by 106 runs.&nbsp;

Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed his maiden double hundred in the first innings, and the new number three Shubman Gill completed a century in the next.

However, the Man of the Match performance came from Jasprit Bumrah, who picked nine wickets, including a six-for in the first innings.

The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) president, Jaydev Shah, announced that they will felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara for their contribution to Indian cricket ahead of the third Test between India and England in Rajkot.

The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) president, Jaydev Shah, announced that they will felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara for their contribution to Indian cricket ahead of the third Test between India and England in Rajkot. Pujara and Jadeja have made their state and country proud on countless occasions, with both being the senior members of this decorated Indian Team. While Pujara is the 13th Indian cricketer to complete 100 plus Tests, Jadeja is a seasoned campaigner and a match-winner across all formats. The left-handed Jadeja holds the number one position in the ICC’s Test all-rounder rankings and is a Champions Trophy winner (in 2013). As the Rajkot stadium is set to be renamed the Niranjan Shah Stadium, the state association will felicitate both players during the name-announcing ceremony on Thursday (Feb 15) - day one of the third India-England Test. “We will be felicitating both Pujara and Ravindra during the function for the new name of the stadium,” SCA President Jaydev Shah said. Meanwhile, Jadeja and Pujara are not named on the squad list for the remaining three Tests, with Jadeja out with injury and Pujara, despite scoring runs for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, being overlooked for younger players. ALSO READ: PCB unhappy with Babar, Shaheen’s latest interaction session with fans on X, to revisit social media policy Jaydev said he would have loved to have both playing for India in the third Test but understands the reason behind their omissions, saying it’s all part of the game. “I can’t say much on that (Pujara not playing) because it’s the team management and selectors’ call, but had he been there, we would have been very proud.” “It’s not that we are not proud now, but we would have been prouder had he played. He has played over 100 Test matches and not many have managed to do that in India. Him playing at Rajkot would have been great, but that’s part of the game. You don’t get everything what you dream. He has worked very hard. He made Saurashtra very proud,” Jaydev added. India eyes lead in Rajkot After losing the first Test in Hyderabad, India levelled the five-match series by winning the next game in Vizag by 106 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed his maiden double hundred in the first innings, and the new number three Shubman Gill completed a century in the next. However, the Man of the Match performance came from Jasprit Bumrah, who picked nine wickets, including a six-for in the first innings.

Saurashtra Cricket Association to felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of Rajkot Test

The Player of the Match in the Vizag Test, Jasprit Bumrah, could be rested for the third game in Rajkot starting on February 15. Bumrah, who bagged nine wickets in the second Test, including a six-wicket haul in the first innings, helped India win the match by 106 runs. As per the latest reports, in consultation with the BCCI, the selectors might rest Bumrah for the next Test. Besides, the star batting duo of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul could return to the playing XI.

In this Test that lasted four days, Bumrah bowled around 32 overs across two innings, picking nine wickets. Considering the workload management, which saw Mohammed Siraj getting rested for the second Test, the selectors will want to regain some energy and return refreshed for the remaining games.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-ishan-kishan-to-decide-when-to-return-dravid-on-team-management-happily-playing-waiting-game-687228">IND vs ENG: Ishan Kishan to decide when to return, Dravid on team management happily playing waiting game</a>

With Bumrah out of contention from the next game and Mohammed Shami ruled out of the series with an ankle injury, India will play Siraj and Mukesh in the next game.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first Test in Hyderabad, is unlikely to get fit for the home Test. Kuldeep Yadav, his replacement in the second Test, will retain his place alongside Ravi Ashwin and Axar Patel.&nbsp;

<h2>Virat likely to return to XI</h2>

Star India batter Virat Kohli, who missed the first two Tests due to personal reasons, might walk into the playing XI from the next Test onwards. With him getting included in the side and playing at his usual number four slot, the home side's confidence will be boosted.&nbsp;

Alongside Virat, keeper-batter KL Rahul will return to the side for the third Test. Now, with two players returning, India will let go of Rajat Patidar and Shreyas Iyer or KS Bharat, who hasn’t left an impact with the bat thus far.&nbsp;

<h3>India level Test series</h3>

Having lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, India won the next game in Vizag by 106 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill starred with the bat, hitting 209 and 104&nbsp;respectively.

The Player of the Match in the Vizag Test, Jasprit Bumrah, could be rested for the third game in Rajkot starting on February 15. Bumrah, who bagged nine wickets in the second Test, including a six-wicket haul in the first innings, helped India win the match by 106 runs.

The Player of the Match in the Vizag Test, Jasprit Bumrah, could be rested for the third game in Rajkot starting on February 15. Bumrah, who bagged nine wickets in the second Test, including a six-wicket haul in the first innings, helped India win the match by 106 runs. As per the latest reports, in consultation with the BCCI, the selectors might rest Bumrah for the next Test. Besides, the star batting duo of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul could return to the playing XI. In this Test that lasted four days, Bumrah bowled around 32 overs across two innings, picking nine wickets. Considering the workload management, which saw Mohammed Siraj getting rested for the second Test, the selectors will want to regain some energy and return refreshed for the remaining games. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: Ishan Kishan to decide when to return, Dravid on team management happily playing waiting game With Bumrah out of contention from the next game and Mohammed Shami ruled out of the series with an ankle injury, India will play Siraj and Mukesh in the next game. Meanwhile, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first Test in Hyderabad, is unlikely to get fit for the home Test. Kuldeep Yadav, his replacement in the second Test, will retain his place alongside Ravi Ashwin and Axar Patel. Virat likely to return to XI Star India batter Virat Kohli, who missed the first two Tests due to personal reasons, might walk into the playing XI from the next Test onwards. With him getting included in the side and playing at his usual number four slot, the home side's confidence will be boosted. Alongside Virat, keeper-batter KL Rahul will return to the side for the third Test. Now, with two players returning, India will let go of Rajat Patidar and Shreyas Iyer or KS Bharat, who hasn’t left an impact with the bat thus far. India level Test series Having lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, India won the next game in Vizag by 106 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill starred with the bat, hitting 209 and 104 respectively.

IND vs ENG: Jasprit Bumrah likely to be rested for Rajkot Test; Virat and KL Rahul to return

The Supreme Court of India today permitted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to spend upto Rs 58.66 lakhs for the India-England test match in Rajkot beginning on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The apex court gave its nod to a similar arrangement of incurring funds by BCCI for international matches till December 3.&nbsp;

The payments will have to be made directly to parties concerned with contract and no fund will go to the Saurashtra cricket body, the court said. The amount will be released to meet the players&#39; allowance, insurance expenses and payment to the third umpire as per the contract. &nbsp;

The decision comes after the BCCI had sought the disbursal of funds to the state cricket associations, saying the refusal could lead to the cancellation of the first cricket test match at Rajkot.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court last month ruled that the board would have to seek prior approval from a special panel investigating its governance in order to release funds to state associations which host Test matches.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

The court ordered all payments to be routed through the Lodha panel and said no funds would go to the state association

The Supreme Court of India today permitted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to spend upto Rs 58.66 lakhs for the India-England test match in Rajkot beginning on Wednesday. The apex court gave its nod to a similar arrangement of incurring funds by BCCI for international matches till December 3. The payments will have to be made directly to parties concerned with contract and no fund will go to the Saurashtra cricket body, the court said. The amount will be released to meet the players' allowance, insurance expenses and payment to the third umpire as per the contract. The decision comes after the BCCI had sought the disbursal of funds to the state cricket associations, saying the refusal could lead to the cancellation of the first cricket test match at Rajkot. The Supreme Court last month ruled that the board would have to seek prior approval from a special panel investigating its governance in order to release funds to state associations which host Test matches. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Cricket: SC allows BCCI to disburse funds for Rajkot Test

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