Short Notes:
- Rohit Sharma declares and sets a daunting target of 557 runs
- Yashasvi Jaiswal smashes second consecutive double-century against England
- Sarafaraz Khan and Yashasvi Jaiswal deflate England on Day 4
On Sunday, February 18, the home team declared their second innings versus England at 430/4 in Rajkot. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal ended up being just the third Indian to make a double hundred in successive Tests. India’s declaration means that England has to chase down an unlikely 557, which may be too high even by Bazball levels.
On Day 4, when Shubman Gill got out for 91, Jaiswal took the field. The day before, he had retired injured on 104 from back spasms. The left-hander seemed well set out in the middle of the inning, showing no symptoms of discomfort.
Jaiswal’s power-hitting drives India to a lead of 557
In addition to his 14 fours, the 22-year-old finished up hammering a record-tying 12 sixes. It went out to be the joint-most sixes during a single innings. During October 1996, during his 257-run innings against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura, Pakistani superstar Wasim Akram also blasted 12 sixes.
After 98 overs, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma declared the Indian innings, with Jaiswal finishing with 214* off 236 balls. The southpaw became only the second Indian batsman after Virat Kohli and Vinod Kambli to get two hundreds in a row during his outstanding innings.
Mumbai lads hammer down England with 171-run partnership
In addition to scoring an electrifying double hundred on his Test debut, Sarfaraz Khan also produced a strong knock. In the second essay, he equaled his first innings score of 62 by scoring an equally impressive 68* off 72 balls.
During his aggressive effort, the right-handed batsman hit six fours as well as three sixes, contributing to an uninterrupted fifth-wicket partnership of 172 alongside Jaiswal. Thus, in his Test debut, the 26-year-old became only the fourth Indian, following Dilawar Hussain, Sunil Gavaskar, and Shreyas Iyer, to reach fifty or more in both innings.
In the meantime, England have lost the plot in the chase already. The Indian spinners have been dominating them and have England on the ropes. Currently, England are 50/7 and are on course for their biggest defeat under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
