Yashasvi Jaiswal becomes third Indian to smash double hundred in consecutive Tests as India set England 557 in Rajkot

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal became only the third Indian batter to hit a double hundred in consecutive Tests as the hosts declared their second innings in Rajkot against England 430/4 on Sunday, February 18. Following India’s declaration, England need an improbable 557 to win the third Test, perhaps a bit too steep even by Bazball standards.

Jaiswal came into bat on Day 4 after Shubman Gill was run out for 91. He had retired hurt on 104 the previous day due to back spasms. The left-hander showed no signs of discomfort as he resumed his innings and looked in complete control out in the middle.

The 22-year-old ended up clobbering a record-equalling 12 sixes (joint-most sixes in an innings) to go with his 14 fours. Pakistan legend Wasim Akram also hit 12 sixes against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in October 1996 during his knock of 257.

Jaiswal finished with 214*off 236 balls as Indian captain Rohit Sharma declared the Indian innings after 98 overs. During the course of his superb knock, the southpaw joined Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli as the only Indian batters to have notched up double hundreds in consecutive Test matches.

Kambli scored 224 against England in Mumbai in 1992/93 and followed it up with 227 against Zimbabwe in Delhi. Kohli hit 213 against Sri Lanka in Nagpur in 2017/18 and smashed against the same opponents in Delhi. As for Jaiswal, he scored 209 in the previous Test against England in Visakhapatnam.

The young Indian opener is currently the leading run-getter in five-match Test series. In six innings, he has scored 545 runs at an average of 109.

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Jaiswal-Sarfaraz in blazing stand for fifth wicket

While Jaiswal scored a scintillating double hundred, Sarfaraz Khan also came up with another impressive knock on his Test debut. He followed up his first-innings 62 with an equally attractive 68* off 72 balls in the second essay.

The right-handed batter slammed six fours and three sixes in his aggressive knock, featuring in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 172 with Jaiswal. The 26-year-old thus became only the fourth Indian after Dilawar Hussain, Sunil Gavaskar and Shreyas Iyer to notch up fifty-plus scores in both innings on Test debut.

Meanwhile, chasing a mammoth target of 557 England lost first-innings centurion Ben Duckett for 4 and Zak Crawley for 11. They were 18/2 at tea on Day 4.