4 players who starred and 1 who flopped for India in the 3rd Test vs England ft. Rajat Patidar & Sarfaraz Khan
Team India took the lead for the first time in the five-match series against England as they clinched the third Test by an incredible 434 runs at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday, February 18.
Set an imposing target of 557 to win, the visitors were never in the hunt in the final innings of the Test. Mark Wood was the only man to cross the 20-run mark as England folded for just 122 in under 40 overs to suffer a heavy defeat.
Most of the home side's players fared well in Rajkot, but there was one name who couldn't make an impression. On that note, here are four players who starred and one who flopped for Team India in the third Test against England.
#5 Star - Sarfaraz Khan
Making his Test debut after an agonizing wait, Sarfaraz Khan needed to immediately cash in and prove that he belongs at the international level. And even though he was sold down the river by Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings, he had an excellent outing in Rajkot.
Sarfaraz was nervous for the first few minutes, but he soon settled into a rhythm. He was exceedingly comfortable against England's spinners and carted them around the park in both innings of the match to notch up twin half-centuries. The 26-year-old was particularly severe with his hitting just before India's declaration on Day 4.
#4 Star - Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma came under criticism for his performances in the first two Tests of the series, but a quality player like him wasn't going to be kept away from the runs for too long. With India in trouble on Day 1, the skipper stood up and bailed his side out.
Rohit was assured in defense and calculated with his aggression. He struck 14 fours and three sixes en route to an invaluable 131, played over 196 balls, and stayed 281 minutes at the crease. The opener's partnership with Jadeja went a long way in India securing a grip over the Test.
Rohit's captaincy, while not entirely perfect, also showed signs of improvement from the first two matches. He couldn't deliver in the second innings but still managed to play a huge role in India's win.
#3 Star - Ravindra Jadeja
Recovering from a hamstring injury to play in his hometown, Ravindra Jadeja extended his incredible record at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. He scored a century in the first innings and picked up seven wickets in the match to walk away with the Player of the Match award.
Jadeja's superb century and ensuing partnership with Rohit bailed India out of trouble on the opening day. Although his economy rate was above five in the first innings, the left-arm spinner was unplayable on a turning Day 4 track as he registered another home five-fer to pummel England into submission.
When fit, Jadeja is undoubtedly among the first few names on India's Test teamsheet.
#2 Flop - Rajat Patidar
Perhaps the only Indian player who couldn't come up with the goods in Rajkot, Rajat Patidar failed in both innings. Unfortunately, he can have no one but himself to blame.
Patidar struggled to come to terms with the pace of the wicket and was early into his shot in both of his dismissals. The fact that they came off rank long hops from Tom Hartley didn't help matters for the middle-order batter, whose place in the side is now under threat.
If KL Rahul is fit for the Ranchi Test, Patidar might have to work hard to regain his spot in the red-ball team.
#1 Star - Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal became just the third Indian batter in the history of Test cricket to notch up back-to-back double centuries as his whirlwind knock in the second innings put the game beyond England's reach.
Jaiswal's hunger for big runs has been all too evident throughout his first-class career, and he has managed to come up with a couple of all-time great displays during the ongoing series against England. His six-hitting and match awareness, in particular, have stood out.
Jaiswal is, by far, the highest run-scorer in the rubber so far. He has made a scarcely believable start to his Test career.