India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma and Ben Stokes resume this riveting series.
India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: And we’re back. 10 days have flown by but nothing has dampened the hype around the Test series between India and England. One of the biggest and most fierce Test series of all time – the Anthony de Mello Trophy – is locked at 1-1, and as the action moves to Rajkot’s Saurashtra Cricket Stadium, the stakes couldn’t be any higher. England are coming off some time off in Abu Dhabi where the players were away from cricket and spending time with their families. Team India, meanwhile, on the other hand, were back with their kins before assembling in Rajkot on Monday, where the players underwent drills to get ready in time for the big game.…Read More
Despite no cricket, there’s so much that’s happened. The suspense surrounding Virat Kohli’s availability finally ended when the BCCI once and for all announced that he will miss the entire series. While Kohli’s personal reasons are unknown, we wish him well as he attends to his family. Kohli’s absence may be a big loss, but they will be buoyed by the fact that Ravindra Jadeja is back to give the team some much-needed experience in the middle order. With KL Rahul yet to recover fully, Jadeja’s role becomes all the more crucial.
On to some milestones. Ravichandran Ashwin is one strike away from completing 500 Test wickets, while the game will also mark England captain Ben Stokes’ 100th. A career starting in 2013, this is easily the best hundred of Stokes’ career and England would be hoping for nothing more than to make their captain’s landmark game even sweeter. Easily one of England’s greatest, Stokes, along with coach Brendon McCullum have revolutionised Test cricket with their ‘Bazball’ but whether it can be successful in India, a part of it will be answered over the next five days. Besides Ashwin and Stokes, James Anderson too stands on the cusp of a huge achievement as the veteran England pacer needs five more to complete 700 Test wickets.
Rumours were also floating around regarding Jasprit Bumrah being potentially rested, but how do you drop a bowler who created history by becoming the first Indian pacer to be ranked No. 1 in the world? Well, you don’t. Bumrah is expected to share the new ball with the returning Mohammed Siraj, while Jadeja’s return is certain to show Axar Patel the door. The toss-up between KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel could determine who will take the place behind the stumps till Rishabh Pant comes back fully fit. Reports suggest that the team management has lost its patience with Bharat, who is yet to score a single half-century in 7 Tests, and is keen to replace him with youngster Jurel, who made quite the mark for India A against India Lions and South Africa A.
But while India’s Playing XI will only be unveiled at the toss by captain Rohit Sharma, England have no such reservations. On the eve of the match, their team combination was revealed as Mark Wood makes much awaited return in place of Shoaib Bashir. This means that Anderson and Wood will partner each other, indicating that the Rajkot deck may have something in it for the pacers after all, although its initial scenes carry a ‘placid’ look.
Inaugurated in 2009, the SCA Stadium has witnessed only two Test matches thus far – India vs England in 2016 and India vs West Indies in 2018. The last time India and England did battle at this venue eight years ago, the Test ended in a draw after both teams were involved in a run-fest. Joe Root and Stokes got hundreds before Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara responded with centuries of their own. However, with no Pujara this time around, the middle-order, sans Shreyas Iyer – who was dropped for the remaining three Tests – promises to be tested.
Below are a few pointers regarding the India vs England 3rd Test:
– India and England will play their 2nd Test in Rajkot.
– This is the first time India are playing a Test at the SCA Stadium without Cheteshwar Pujara.
– Ravichandran Ashwin is one short of 500 Test wickets.
– Ravindra Jadeja is set to return to India’s Playing XI.
– This is the 100th Test match of England captain Ben Stokes’ career.
