Ben Duckett's 153 or Ollie Pope's 196 - which knock vs India was the better innings?
With Team India extending their lead to 322, England are now staring down the barrel of a gun in the ongoing third Test match in Rajkot.
The visitors were less than 240 runs away from India's first innings total of 445 at the start of Day 3. However, remarkable bowling from India saw England lose their last eight wickets within just 95 more runs.
While England could only make 319 in their first innings, the visiting fans were treated with a stupendous knock by Ben Duckett, who made almost 48 percent of his side's runs.
Within the first half of the five-match Test series, England have now witnessed two fabulous knocks in the form of Duckett's 153 and Ollie Pope's 196 in Hyderabad.
Both batters displayed exceptional skills, resilience, and temperament against a formidable Indian bowling attack in challenging conditions.
However, the question remains: which innings was better? On that note, let's compare and analyze both to determine which one truly shone brighter.
#3 Technique and playing style
Pope's innings in Hyderabad highlighted his exceptional technique and adaptability, particularly against spin. He demonstrated the ability to play with a straight bat and use his feet well to negotiate the spin threat.
The No. 3 batter rotated the strike effectively, showcasing all the essential traits for success in subcontinental conditions.
In contrast, Duckett's innings relied more on aggressive stroke play and calculated risk-taking, showcasing his ability to seize the initiative and put pressure on the opposition's bowling attack.
Hence, the southpaw struck at a rate of 101.32, better than Pope's strike rate of 70.5. However, Pope (278) faced way more deliveries than Duckett (151).
#2 Pitch conditions
When choosing between two incredible knocks, pitch condition is probably the most significant factor to consider. While comparing the pitches in Hyderabad and Rajkot, Pope's marathon innings would likely have been more challenging.
Duckett made his third Test hundred in Rajkot, which has certainly offered the best batting conditions in the series so far.
While the English opener had to counter a hint of seam bowling at the start, it was not excessively challenging to negotiate. Duckett capitalized on the favorable conditions, showcasing his aggressive strokeplay to dominate the Indian bowling attack.
In contrast, Pope's monumental innings of 196 came on a markedly different surface in Hyderabad during the opening Test. The pitch in Uppal was considerably more challenging, offering significant turn and variable bounce right from the outset.
Moreover, Pope batted on Day 3 and Day 4 of the Test, as compared to Duckett, who made almost 87 percent of his runs on Day 2.
While Duckett also displayed impressive batting prowess in Rajkot, his innings was played on a surface more conducive to stroke-making, requiring less adaptation compared to Pope's monumental effort in Hyderabad.
#1 Match situation
Determining which of the two great knocks is superior involves taking into account the game situation the batters faced and how their performance changed the course of the Test.
While both innings deserve applause, judging solely on the match situation, the case tilts towards Pope's knock. The batter from Chelsea played a match-changing innings in Hyderabad as his 196 completely derailed India on the back foot.
His innings came when England had a 190-run deficit after the first inning and were far behind in the game.
Pope not only ensured that his team clawed their way back into the game but also gained an upper hand by putting up a competitive target of 231 runs in the fourth innings, which England defended courtesy of a seven-wicket haul by Tom Hartley.
Duckett, meanwhile, accumulated his runs in the first innings, when the run-making was comparatively easier.
Nevertheless, his fiery knock forced India to change their plan of action. England needed one batter to go big in the first innings, and Duckett didn't disappoint.
Sadly, the left-hander didn't find any ally, as Ben Stokes' 41 runs proved to be the second-best individual score for England in that innings.
In conclusion:
While both Ben Duckett's and Ollie Pope's centuries showcased exceptional batting talent, Pope's 196 in Hyderabad holds greater weight within the context of the match.
His innings directly contributed to England's fabulous come-from-behind victory by laying the foundation for a mammoth total. Although Duckett's counterpunching knock in Rajkot deserves praise for reviving England's fightback, its impact ultimately falls short of the match-winning significance of Pope's monumental score.
It would be fair to say that both these innings will go down as two of the best innings by visiting batters in India in recent history. England will hope they continue contributing valuable runs in the remaining innings of the series.