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After a gap of 10 days, India and England are set to resume an enthralling series, with the third Test to be played at Rajkot from Thursday, February 15.
England drew first blood in Hyderabad, but India managed to make a stunning comeback in Visakhapatnam, winning the second Test by 106 runs. The last time the two teams played a Test in Rajkot was in 2016 when the hosts had to grind out a draw.
The pitches in the series so far have been anything but rank turners and that has led to an exciting and even competition between the bat and the ball. Both India and England have thrown punches at each other and it has led to some interesting match-ups to look forward to.
On that note, let's take a look at three such face-offs that could determine the result of the highly anticipated game in Rajkot:
#3 Yashasvi Jaiswal vs James Anderson
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a sensational double hundred (209) in the previous Test and that was one of the main reasons why India were able to level the series. However, he was dismissed in both innings by veteran England pacer James Anderson.
Jaiswal charged down the track and got caught at deep extra cover in the first innings. However, Anderson caused the youngster major problems in the second essay with the new ball and got the southpaw edging one to the slip cordon. If England are to keep Jaiswal in check, they will need Anderson to strike early.
#2 Zak Crawley vs Ravichandran Ashwin
With a total of 149 runs in the second Test, opener Zak Crawley by far looked most comfortable at the crease from the visitors. He had a great balance of caution and aggression, and India will know they need to get him early to ensure England do not get off to a flying start.
Ravichandran Ashwin seems to be the match-up that the hosts could almost straightaway employ against Crawley. The opener has scored 68 runs off Ashwin in Tests, but the veteran off-spinner has dismissed Crawley thrice already. Just one scalp away from a staggering 500 Test wickets, Ashwin would fancy Crawley being that wicket that gets him to the milestone.
#1 Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah
Joe Root seems to be under immense pressure coming into the Rajkot Test after just 52 runs in four innings so far this series. Cricket pundits like Michael Vaughan have been urging him to not follow the Bazball way and stick to what has been working for him, especially against spin.
However, Root's major threat once again could be star Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah. In Tests, Root has been dismissed by Bumrah a staggering eight times, two of which have been in this series already. With 15 wickets from two Tests, Bumrah will have his tail up and India will be thrilled if their star pacer can find the rhythm again.
