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India regsitered a commanding 434-run victory over England in the third Test in Rajkot, laying bare vulnerabilities in the visitors’ usually aggressive tactics. The formidable Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Ravindra Jadeja‘s exceptional performance with figures of 5/41, proved insurmountable for England. Their second-innings collapse to 122 while pursuing a challenging 557-run target further solidified India’s dominance, giving them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
England’s defensive approach: A departure from Bazball tactics
England, renowned for their aggressive ‘Bazball’ style of play, displayed an unusual defensive approach at the outset of their innings in the 557-run chase on Day 4. The openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, typically quick to find early boundaries, showed caution from the very first ball. This hesitation became evident between them, resulting in the fall of Ben Duckett due to a run-out by Dhruv Jurel following a misunderstanding.
This marked the first instance in along while where England attempted to play Test cricket in a more orthodox manner, deviating from their accustomed Bazball talk. Jadeja, the hometown hero, skillfully spun a web over the touring batters at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Also WATCH: Dhruv Jurel’s sharp cricketing mind results in a brilliant run-out of Ben Duckett on Day 4 of the Rajkot Test
Joe Root’s defensive play and Jasprit Bumrah’s hilarious sledge
As England found themselves struggling at 28/4, Joe Root and Ben Stokes attempted to stabilize the innings. The star batter, Root, had been facing scrutiny due to a series of low scores and had received criticism for his aggressive yet bizarre reverse ramp shot against Jasprit Bumrah in the previous innings of the third Test, leading to his dismissal.
In the pursuit of the daunting target, Root opted for a defensive strategy, aligning his play with the match situation, particularly against the prominent bowler, Bumrah. Despite Bumrah delivering a slower ball at an almost half-volley length, Root chose to defend it with a robust front-foot stroke. Observing the England batters adopting a more reserved approach, Bumrah humorously remarked to one of his teammates at the end of the 11th over, stating that the England players were no longer attacking, emphasizing the noticeable change in their gameplay.
“Ab toh maar hi nahi rahe hain, dekh zara (Now they’re not attacking at all, just look at that!),” Bumrah said with a smile to a teammate.
Here’s the video:
missed it live but this has ended me, how does he sound polite even when sledging 😭😭 https://t.co/5nHkVdoPhv pic.twitter.com/2DC9ND0HJA
— Rahul (@exceedingxpuns) February 19, 2024
England’s biggest defeat
The tourists eventually succumbed, being bundled out for 122 in just 39.4 overs, marking their most significant defeat in terms of the margin of runs since 1934 against Australia in Oval by 562 runs. India’s decisive triumph not only underscored their cricketing dominance but also highlighted England’s struggles in adapting to a defensive strategy, leading to a historic victory for the home team in the third Test. Despite their pride in chasing big totals with a white ball-like batting approach in Test cricket, the tourists faced a reality check.
