Shamik Chakrabarty
Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped on 20 and 40, Harry Brook and Liam Dawson letting go of a couple of sitters. But when he reached his sixth Test hundred, everyone at The Oval was applauding. At the end of the day, it was a Test century. When the youngster eventually hangs up his boots, he will be judged by the number of runs scored and centuries made. The record books will not incorporate the chances dropped with an asterisk.
Jaiswal’s 118 off 164 balls took India to a position of ascendency in the series decider. Intent was the buzzword, the way the left-hand batsman scored his runs, at a strike-rate touching 72. It put England under pressure, and forced them to go on the defensive.
On the third morning, India found an unlikely hero in Akash Deep, the nightwatchman who scored 66 off 94 balls and added 107 runs with Jaiswal for the third wicket. England started Day 3 slightly ahead in the game. By lunch, they were in serious trouble. Dropped catches contributed to their woes. Akash survived a confident leg-before shout on umpire’s call in the morning followed by a dropped catch from Zak Crawley. The hosts dropped six catches during India’s second innings. At Headingley, India lost an unlosable Test by flooring seven chances. England’s profligacy here might come back to hurt them.
Shubham Gill came at the fall of Akash’s wicket and made a bright start. But a Gus Atkinson inswinger caught him plumb in front. It was the first ball after lunch and India were 189/4, and not out of the woods yet.
Gill finished his summer with 754 runs, including four hundreds from five Tests, at an average of 75.40. Among captains, only Don Bradman has scored more in a Test series — 810 versus England in 1936-37.
Karun Nair was expected to carry the confidence of scoring a half-century in the first innings. In reality, though, he looked a nervous wreck. During his 32-ball stay at the crease, Karun could have gotten out five-six times. A catch was dropped. Eventually, a delivery from Atkinson that had some extra bounce put him out of his misery.
Cricket has given Karun enough chances, but his batting never inspired confidence at this level. The half-ton in the first innings feels like an aberration. The 33-year-old shouldn’t be picked to play Tests again, for he simply doesn’t belong. Shreyas Iyer in the middle order is a better option any day of the week.
Karun’s departure brought in Ravindra Jadeja, and Jaiswal found the right partner. The two stitched a 44-run partnership for the sixth wicket to calm the nerves. Jadeja, the batsman, has been a thorn in England’s side throughout the summer. Another half-century took his tally to 516 runs from five Tests. His average, 86.00.
India were all out for 396, setting England a fourth innings target of 374. Josh Tongue returned with a five-for.
Ben Duckett & Co had chased down 373 at Headingley. The conditions are a bit different at The Oval. Washington Sundar’s brilliant late charge — 53 off 46 balls — and a 39-run (25 balls) last-wicket partnership with Pradish Krishna, where the latter didn’t score any, has considerably increased the degree of difficulty for England.
‘Baz-batting’, though, is expected to take up the gauntlet. They have enough quality to do it despite being a player short. At stumps on Day 3, England were 50/1. A brilliant Mohammed Siraj yorker to castle Crawley brought a dramatic end to an engrossing day.
Brief scores: India 224 and 396 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 118, Ravindra Jadeja 53, Washington Sundar 53; Josh Tongue 5/125) vs England 247 and 50/1 (Ben Duckett 34 batting; Mohammed Siraj 1/11)
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