IND vs ENG, 2nd Test | Ben Duckett Headlines ENG Domination After Ashwin’s 500th Wicket

Ben Duckett in action on Day 2 of Rajkot Test (BCCI)

Brief Scores: India (1st innings): 445 all out (130.5 overs) [Rohit Sharma: 131 (196), Ravindra Jadeja: 112 (225); Mark Wood 4/114 (27.5), Rehan Ahmed 2/85 (22)] lead England (1st innings): 207-2 (35 overs) [Ben Duckett: 133* (118), Ollie Pope: 39 (55); Ravichandran Ashwin 1/37 (7), Mohammed Siraj 1/54 (10)] by 238 runs. 

Ben Duckett’s swift century helps England take command over hosts India by Day 2 of their third Test match at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium.

Dhruv Jurel, Ashwin add handy runs after early setback

Team India lost both overnight batters earlier in the day, with unbeaten centurion Ravindra Jadeja falling to a caught-and-bowl trap laid out by Joe Root. Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav’s sudden dismissals was followed by a valiant insurgence between ace all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin and debutant Dhruv Jurel.

Both Ashwin and Dhruv added handy lower-order runs from their ends during their 77-run partnership. Just at a time when they were approaching their respective half-centuries, wicketless Rehan Ahmed accounted for both within a single spell shortly after the lunch break.

Jasprit Bumrah smacked a few big ones in his frustrating 26-run cameo amidst 30-run final-wicket stand with Mohammed Siraj, until Mark Wood trapped him in front of stumps to finish with figures of 4-114 from 27.5 overs.

Wood’s timely strike eventually dusted up India’s first innings at a monumental 445 by the halfway stage of Day 2.

Duckett justifies 'BazBall' approach with radical ton

As has been a case throughout the series, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett laid out yet another boisterous start at the top with a swift fifty-plus stand. The two cricketers shared 89 runs together from just 79 balls until Ravichandran Ashwin had Crawley holed out by Rajat Patidar to grab his 500th Test wicket.

Duckett, meanwhile, ensured England’s ‘BazBall’ juggernaut rolled on with a calculated boundary-assault. The elegant left-hander eventually raced to his third Test century (from just 88 balls) during a fresh 93-run partnership with vice-captain Ollie Pope during the final session of the day.

While Mohammed Siraj got rid of Pope just before the close of play, England reached 207-2 from 35 until stumps, with centurion Duckett (133*) and senior man Joe Root (9*) still batting at the crease. The two cricketers will resume England innings on Day 3 while trailing hosts India by another 238 runs.

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