England –India Test Series
3rd Test Played at Leeds, Headingly
Brief Scorecard at Stumps of Day Two
India 1St Innings 78 All out in 40.4 Overs (Rohit Sharma 19, Ajinka Rahane 18, Extras 16, James Anderson 3/6, Craig Overton 3/14, Olie Robinson 2/16, Sam Curran 2/27)
England 423/8 in 129 Overs (Joe Root 121, David Malan 70, Hasseb Hameed 68, Rory Burns 61, Jonny Bairstow 29, Craig Overton 24*, Mohammad Sami 3/87, Mohammad Siraj 2/86, Ravindra Jadeja 2/ 88)
There is an old saying that cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty. Accepting and acknowledging that it can be said with all certainties that team India already under deficit of 345 at stumps of day two is staring at huge defeat. Host England has already batted India out of the match on a day when many milestones were set. English Captain Joe Root himself set a few carrying his team to an impregnable position. It is only rain-washing out most of the three days
(very unlikely) or anyone playing the role of Pakistan’s Little Master Hanif Mohammad doing against West Indies long time back can come to the rescue of Kohli’s men. I do not think even Pujara can do that once in a history Hanif’s feat.
India batted poorly showing no veins in the first innings. On the same wicket off course in changed condition England batted for 129 overs and yet not finished. Root scored his third century in the series repeating his feat of three centuries in the series against India on tour. He has already inscribed his name in the exclusive club of batting legends along side of Mohammad Yusuf (1788) , Sir IVA Richards (1710) ,Graeme Smith (1656), MJ Clark ( 1595), SR Tendulkar (1566) ,SR Gavaskar (155) ,Ricky Ponting (1503 ). Scoring most runs in a calendar year. He himself scored 1477 in 2016. In 2021 he has already scored 1398 and has still two more tests and a second innings in this test to add.
It is a wonderful turn around. India struck a miracle only a few days back at iconic Lords bowling brilliantly against the same opposition on the last day and forging ahead (1-0) in the very important test series. Now it looks certain that England would level it as three days and 15 sessions are still left .
Day two did not start all that bad for the tourists. England starting the day at 120/0 very soon lost both the openers Rory Burns (61) and Haseeb Hameed (68) adding only 39 to the overnight score. But from there on irresistible Joe Root irresistible Root set his roots firmly yet again. With usually flamboyant David Malan white ball specialist included in the test squad) producing masterful 139 for the 4th wicket partnership buried all hopes of India getting back into the contest. Malan got out after scoring well-compiled 70. But Root scoring 121 in a flamboyant fashion rewrote few pages of his own in the record books. He celebrated his 23rd hundred - drawing equal with Kevin Pietersen as the second-best England century-maker . Only Alaister Cook scoring 33 is ahead of him. He is only the third English batsman scoring 6 centuries in the calendar year after Denis Compton in 1947 and Michael Vaughan in 2002.
Most Test Centuries in a Calendar Year
|
Player |
Team |
Years |
100 |
|
Ricky Ponting |
Australia |
2006 |
7 |
|
Ricky Ponting |
Australia |
2005 |
6 |
|
Graeme Smith |
South Africa |
2008 |
6 |
|
Steve Smith |
Australia |
2017 |
6 |
|
Joe Root |
England |
2021 |
6 |
Mohammad Sami (3/87), Siraj (2/86) and Jadeja (2/88) bowled their hearts out. But the damage was ladeja done on day one. At stumps scoring 423/8 England is not yet finished. Even miracles would not dare happening to rescue India. Fate is already carved. Test cricket in Corona days is getting back to its golden days .
BDST: 1051 HRS, AUG 27, 2021
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