Opener Ben Duckett stole the show on Day 2 of India’s third Test against England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, scoring a magnificent century.
Ben Duckett became the third-fastest visiting hitter to record a Test ton on Indian soil, doing so in just 88 balls. Following his brilliant century, England reached a dominant 207/2 at the finish of play, trailing the home side by 238 runs.
It was a day full of action, with some significant milestones achieved and a particular debutant making an impact. Both sides have everything to play for entering into the third day of action.
On that topic, here are three talking points from Day 2 of India’s third Test against England.
1. England dominate day two as Ben Duckett smashes record century
India would have been pleased to score 445 in their first innings, with Jasprit Bumrah scoring some crucial runs in a last-wicket stand with Mohammed Siraj. However, the remainder of the day went terribly for the hosts, owing primarily to Ben Duckett’s dazzling century.
Ben Duckett started well, commanding strike and hitting boundaries at will on both sides of the wicket. He was harsh on pace and much more forceful against spin, sweeping and reverse-sweeping with unwavering precision. The opener exploited every opening on each side of the wicket, scoring 21 fours and two sixes.
Ben Duckett had shown promise in the first two Tests, but he had been unable to turn his beginnings into hundreds. This time, on a level deck in Rajkot, he was fantastic.
2. Dhruv Jurel came close to passing the eye test
During his debut in Test cricket, Dhruv Jurel had to dig deep when India saw the loss of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav at the beginning of the first session. Lacking in extensive first-class experience, the fresh face managed a commendable partnership with R Ashwin.
Jurel was confident in defense, lunging forward to stop strong passes and remaining calm when defeated. He hit two smart sixes and rotated strike intelligently to lead India to a respectable first-innings total. The keeper-batter was finally ejected when batting with the tail, but it’s safe to say he almost passed the eye test.
Jurel appears to be an upgrade on KS Bharat after only one innings in Tests.
#3. Ashwin finally scales Mount 500
After Ben Duckett raced away to a half-century, India needed to make a breakthrough somewhere. Rohit Sharma turned to Ashwin, probably too late, and the spinner delivered, catching Zak Crawley at short fine leg.
It was not just India’s first Test breakthrough, but Ashwin’s 500th in the format. The veteran was unable to reach the milestone in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, but he was able to do it quickly in Rajkot.
Speaking after the game, Ashwin stated:
“It has been quite a long journey. I’d like to dedicate the 500th wicket to my father. He has been through the thick and thing of everything. I’ve been through in my life… he has been a constant support for me. 500 wickets is done and dusted now. We’ve got a game hanging in the balance.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin will play a crucial role on Day 3, with the hosts lacking inspiration for the most of England’s comeback.