In anticipation of the third Test showdown against India in Rajkot, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has orchestrated a pivotal alteration in their playing roster. Pacer Mark Wood steps in for Shoaib Bashir, marking the lone adjustment in the lineup. “The Three Lions have made one change with Mark Wood replacing Shoaib Bashir,” affirmed the ECB statement. Adding to the anticipation, skipper Ben Stokes is poised to mark a monumental milestone, his 100th Test appearance, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
The series stands at an intriguing deadlock of 1-1, following India’s emphatic victory in the second Test at Visakhapatnam, seizing momentum after a narrow loss in Hyderabad.
Recalling the pivotal moments of the second Test, India’s supremacy was underlined by stellar bowling performances from Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, thwarting England’s resilient efforts and leveling the series.
The second day’s proceedings saw England commencing at 194/6 in the second session, with skipper Stokes and wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes at the crease. When a boundary by Foakes momentarily buoyed England past the 200-run mark, their fortunes dwindled soon after. A lapse in communication led to the dismissal of skipper Stokes by a mere 11 runs, courtesy of Shreyas Iyer’s exceptional fielding prowess, amplifying England’s predicament at 220/7.
Bumrah delivered the decisive blow, dismantling Hartley’s defenses for 36, culminating in England’s demise at 292 runs and a resounding defeat by 106 runs.
As the anticipation mounts for the third Test set to commence on February 15 in Rajkot, followed by the fourth Test in Ranchi on February 23, the cricketing world braces for the culmination of the series in Dharamsala on March 7.
England’s Playing XI for the Third Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
