RAJKOT: Galvanised by the crisis triggered by R Ashwin’s sudden pullout from the match due to his mother’s medical condition, India staged a comeback for the ages on Day 3 to take firm command of the third Test against a rattled England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
When play began, the odds were stacked heavily against the hosts. Buoyed by Ben Duckett’s hundred (153; 151b, 23x4, 2x6), England had galloped to 207/2 in reply to India’s 445. Ashwin’s absence had only made things worse. However, the same ‘Bazball’ approach that has won England 14 Tests under Ben Stokes captaincy in the last two years came back to bite them as Joe Root (18), currently enduring a poor run of form, reverse scooped Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal at second slip.
