NEWS
Follow UsAfter Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, the Rajkot Test, the third Test of the five-match series between India and England also wrapped up within four days. For a long time, it didn’t seem it would.
When India resumed batting on Day 4, they were leading by 322 runs with eight wickets in hand. They added another 234 runs to post England a target of 557. India had around 40 overs to bowl at England before stumps but that proved enough as the visitors were bowled out for 122.
India’s skipper Rohit Sharma was himself a bit surprised that his team notched up the win with a day to spare. “I thought the game would go into the fifty day. We had only 40 overs to bowl today,” Rohit said with a smile on his face.
“We thought 130 overs to get them out will be quite comfortable for us. More than the runs, it was more about how many overs we need to get them out,” Rohit explained about the declaration which came an hour before the Tea break.
One of the biggest challenges for India heading into this Test was the difference of experience at this level from both sides. The playing XI of India, owing to many injuries and players’ unavailabilities, had played only 325 Tests in total as compared to the experience of 674 Tests between England’s XI. However, India overcame that huddle to register a 434-run win, their biggest margin of victory in this format (excluding matches won by an innings).
“It is a good feeling to win a game like that, especially with a young team. Not a lot of Test matches among the XI. A lot of these guys are learning from the experience they are having in the middle. We knew it was not going to be an easy one for us to just come out here and win. We have to work really hard.
A lot of our frontline players were missing as well. A lot of credit goes to these young boys who have come in and showed character. It looks like they actually belong here. It is satisfying when you win a Test match like that. We always talk about the bench strength. Today and in Vizag, we saw a lot of bench strength,” Rohit assessed.
India also had to deal with their premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin withdrawing from the Test at the end of Day 2 due to a medical emergency in his family. Ashwin returned after the Tea interval on Day 4. Due to the changing dynamics of the game, India didn’t miss Ashwin during his absence but things could have been different had India not made a timely comeback.
“That (Ashwin’s withdrawal) is a big factor. When you lose your most experienced bowler, especially in the middle of the Test match, it is not easy.
But everything aside, family comes first. When we heard the news, there were no second thoughts that he should do what he feels is right. He wanted to be with his family which is the right thing to do. Good on him for making a way and being part of the team on this day. It shows the character and the kind of person he is, wanting to put everything ahead for the team. But yeah, we were happy to have him back,” Rohit spoke on Ashwin’s situation.
India had handy contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan in this Test. While Rohit said he won’t say much about Jaiswal as he wants him to continue on the path he has set for himself, he spoke on Jadeja and the debutant Sarfaraz’s contribution.
Rohit mentioned he had not seen Sarfaraz bat a lot but took cues from the mutual teammates about his batting.
“I haven’t seen him (Sarfaraz) bat much. But as much as I have heard from other Mumbai players, Sarfaraz has scored runs in tough situations for Mumbai. It shows his mindset and approach towards the game. He believes in scoring big runs, not just 60s or 70s. He has that hunger.
We didn’t discuss any plans with him. He is a batter who likes to bat with an open mind and that is what I heard from other Mumbai players. Debut has a different pressure but except for being emotional during his cap presentation, he was keen to make a difference in the game with his game and his fielding. It was heartening to see his performance,” the skipper reflected.
Jadeja, the player-of-the-match, scored a vital 112 in the first innings and snapped seven wickets in the game, including a five-for (5/41) on Day 4.
“We have seen Jadeja over the years. He understands the situation and his game. He backs it up and does the job. This (Rajkot) is his home venue, and no one knows the pitch better than he does. If you see the past couple of years, he has scored some crucial runs. Whether in India or away. That is why we sent him up the order as well (at number five).
“With the ball, there is not much to tell him. My job is to ensure that I set the right field for him,” Rohit said about Jadeja’s all-round performance in the Test.
