England star Ben Duckett praised Yashasvi Jaiswal’s attacking intent that helped him blast a century but boldly claimed his nation’s new approach to cricket encouraged others to use an aggressive style.
Jaiswal retired hurt after hitting a century to extend India’s lead over England to 322 after the tourists’ batting collapse in the third Test on Saturday.
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India reached 196-2 in their second innings at stumps on day three in Rajkot, with Shubman Gill (65) and nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav (three) batting at the close of play.
India have been left with 10 players to bat and bowl after Ashwin left the match late Friday due to a family emergency. Devdutt Padikkal came in as substitute fielder.
Jaiswal, struggling with his back, retired hurt on 104 and the next man Rajat Patidar was out for a duck from 10 balls.
“He looks like a superstar in the making, unfortunately he’s in some very good form at the moment,” England’s Ben Duckett said of the rising Indian talent.
“He’s due a couple of low ones,” Duckett, who hit 153 in England’s innings, said tongue-in-cheek.
Duckett also felt without England’s ‘Bazball’ tactics under Test coach Brendon McCullum, Jaiswal — and other players across the world — might not have had the confidence to play in such a manner.
“When you see players from the opposition playing like that, it almost feels like we should take some credit that they’re playing differently than how other people play Test cricket,” Duckett said.
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“We saw it a bit in the summer and it’s quite exciting to see other players and other teams are also playing that aggressive style of cricket.
Skipper Rohit Sharma departed early on 19 but Jaiswal stood strong to build the innings along with Gill before the opener changed gears.
Jaiswal smashed veteran pace bowler James Anderson for a six and two fours on successive balls and kept up the charge against opposition spinners with his sweep and reverse sweep.
He raised his third Test ton in just his seventh match with a boundary off fast bowler Mark Wood, jumping, roaring and blowing kisses to an applauding crowd.
The 22-year-old, who hit a matchwinning 209 in the previous Test, leads the series batting with 435 runs after his 155-run stand with Gill.
Rohit, who hit 131 in the first innings, missed a sweep off part-time spinner Joe Root and England successfully reviewed the decision after the on-field umpire denied the appeal.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj led India’s bowling charge in Ashwin’s absence with figures of 4-84 to help bowl England out for 319 after the visitors collapsed from 299-5.
“In the morning when we got to know that (Ashwin) is not there, more responsibility fell on us,” Siraj said.
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“Rohit told us that we will need to bowl long spells and we got success with long spells. We stopped runs and got wickets.”
Duckett moved from his overnight 133 to go past 150 and skipper Ben Stokes made 41 in his 100th Test but their innings came to a quick halt in the second session.
“It was one of those days when I feel we have to give credit to India,” said Duckett. “We just kept on losing wickets at the wrong times.” Siraj wiped out the tail with help from Ravindra Jadeja, who along with fellow spinner Kuldeep took two wickets each.
Left-hander Stokes attempted to hit back after Duckett’s departure but fell to Jadeja’s left-arm spin.
England resumed on 207-2 in reply to India’s 445 but lost two wickets in the space of six deliveries inside the first 30 minutes.
Jasprit Bumrah struck in the fifth over of the day when Root attempted a reverse scoop and Jaiswal caught it at second slip. Jonny Bairstow then fell for a duck.
The left-handed Duckett, who smashed 23 fours and two sixes in his 151-ball knock, had a tame end when he chased a wide delivery from Kuldeep to be caught at cover.
The five-match series is level at 1-1 after England won the opener and India bounced back in the second match.
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