Ben Duckett is unbeaten on 133 off 118 as England treated Indian bowlers as if they were playing against a club team in the third Test at Rajkot's Niranjan Shah Stadium. England have ensured that there is every possibility of a result in the third Test despite just being a little over one out of four innings done but over 650 runs have already been scored in two days of the came. Duckett and Co. came out with a positive intent and made full use of a flat track and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was left helpless.
Former England pacer Steven Finn has questioned Indian captain Rohit's tactics saying that he missed a trick by not introducing R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja into the attack early. Speaking on Sky Sports, Finn said, "I think Rohit Sharma will be up with the analyst working out when he introduces his bowlers and who against. I think he missed a trick by not bringing on Ashwin and Jadeja earlier on today."
While Ashwin was introduced in the 12th over, when Duckett was already batting on 55 off 42, Jadeja was brought on in the 23rd over as the left-handed English batter was on a rampage. "I would have really liked to bowl at him when he was at 0 and not at 60-70 runs. He is a very different player to bowl at when he is at 60-70 runs for sure," he said.
Ashwin, also admitted in the press conference that he would have liked to come on early while heaping praise on Duckett, who slammed one of the most special hundreds by an overseas batter in India. "A couple of slog sweeps that he hit were really special. But again, Ben Duckett is a phenomenal talent for England, he has made a wonderful hundred today. I wanted to clap for Ben Duckett but I didn't. The hardcore competitor in me did not allow me to clap, but nevertheless, come the next time, I will again try to take him on," R Ashwin said in the press conference after stumps on Day 2.
England are still 238 runs behind but India will be without Ashwin for the rest of the Test match. It is a huge blow would be an understatement and now the depleted Indian team have a huge challenge on their hands.
