England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir dedicated his maiden five-wicket haul in professional cricket to his late grandfathers as he geared up for one of the biggest days of his embryonic career.

Bashir, at 20 years and 135 days old, became England’s second youngest bowler to claim a Test five-for in just his second appearance in the format and his eighth first-class match.

His five for 119 in the fourth Test against India in Ranchi helped England claim a 46-run lead after the first innings but a batting collapse has left the tourists with much to do to square the series.

While taking time to reflect on a significant moment in his life, Bashir insisted England remained confident after India closed on 40 without loss, chasing 192 to move 3-1 up in the five-match series.

“It was quite emotional – I lost my two granddads about a year-and-a-half ago and they used to just sit and watch Test cricket all the time,” Bashir said.

“Their wish was to see me out on the TV, I know they’re supporting me from up above. It was a very special moment on my journey. Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought anything like this (would happen) but that was really special.

“I know I (still) have a job to do and me and Tom (Hartley) are really excited for the challenge.

“We know us two lads are up against a world-class (India) attack but we’ve got a chance to be heroes.

“That pitch is deteriorating quite a bit now. We saw some pop from a good length and some roll. That’s good signs for us.”

England’s approach has been characterised by relentless optimism but they surrendered pole position in the penultimate contest after succumbing to a trial by spin on a turning pitch offering uneven bounce.

Ravichandran Ashwin averaged nearly 39 with the ball in the series before this third day but claimed five for 51, while fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav was just as impressive as he took four for 22.

Zak Crawley’s dismissal for 60 was the start of England crumbling from 110 for three to 145 all out, having earlier let India add 130 for their last three wickets, led by Dhruv Jurel’s excellent 90.

Bashir, though, was predictably upbeat about England’s chances, despite India openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal going at five an over in the half hour before stumps to leave just 152 more to win.

“India played well; Jurel batted really well towards the end. He probably scored a few more runs than we would have liked but we’re going to bowl them out (on Monday),” Bashir said.

“The pitch is deteriorating massively so anything can happen. It’s 10 chances to take 10 wickets. We saw how Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja bowled on that wicket and we take huge confidence from that.”

Jurel was put down on 59 by Ollie Robinson, who let a head-high chance burst through his fingers, and added another 31 before Hartley spun one sharply past his outside edge and disturbed the stumps.

Jurel marshalling the bowlers in his second Test – sharing important partnerships of 76 with Kuldeep and 40 with Akash Deep – was compared to Mahendra Singh Dhoni by another India great, Sunil Gavaskar.

“It feels great if a legend like Gavaskar gives a compliment like that,” Jurel said.

“I don’t regret a bit on missing (out on) the hundred. It’s my debut Test series, it’s always a childhood dream to play for India in Tests.”

England batter Zak Crawley hailed Joe Root’s spectacular return to form after the Yorkshire star hit an unbeaten 106 to leave his side in a strong position at stumps on the first day of the fourth Test against India in Ranchi.

Having averaged 12.83 after his first three matches of the series, Root produced a superb performance, including a 113-run stand with Ben Foakes, which Crawley believes rubber-stamped his team-mate as one of the best batters in his country’s history.

Crawley told TNT Sports: “We’re so happy for him and we never doubted him. If anything we know that when he’s got a couple of low scores he’s even more likely to get the big one, and we expected that from him.

“He’s phenomenal, and he’s one of, if not the best we’ve ever had playing for England.”

England initially struggled on an unpredictable pitch with Crawley bowled by Akash Deep on 42, but the opener praised the way the tourists hit back to reach 302 for seven at close.

Jonny Bairstow made a rapid 38 while Foakes contributed a steady 47 to his stand with Root. Ollie Robinson also finished the day unbeaten on 31.

Crawley added: “It was tricky early on with the ball nipping around a lot and we had to throw a couple of punches back, which I think myself and Jonny did well.

“I was trying to bat normally at the start but it was so difficult – I just felt like there was one with my name on eventually. I thought I’d throw something back and I did start to feel a bit more comfortable after that.

“The boys played unbelievably in the middle session and then Joe got very good support from Tom (Hartley) and Ollie as well.

“I said beforehand that if we get 280 to 300, we’re in a very good position so I stand by that – we are ahead of the game.”

Joe Root defied an unpredictable pitch to make a timely return to form as a risk-free unbeaten century stabilised England on a seesaw opening day of the fourth Test against India in Ranchi.

On a cracked surface offering significant early assistance for India’s bowlers, Ben Stokes’ dismissal to a Ravindra Jadeja grubber left England on 112 for five at lunch after debutant Akash Deep’s three-wicket haul.

But Root, averaging 12.83 after the first three matches, ended his lean patch with a battling 106 not out, which included a 113-run stand with Ben Foakes, as England went to stumps on 302 for seven.

What was striking about Root’s 31st Test hundred, brought up off 219 balls, was its orthodoxy following criticism for some unconventional dismissals recently – especially his reverse ramp in Rajkot last week, which was a sliding doors moment in England slipping 2-1 down in the five-match series.

Whether he is suited to England’s ‘Bazball’ approach has been the subject of much debate in the last few days but Root showed the virtue of patience here.

There were some sweetly-timed drives through the covers as well as his characteristic late cuts and shots square of the wicket as the Yorkshireman registered the slowest ton of the Stokes and Brendon McCullum era.

Root has given England a fighting chance after Deep ensured the rested Jasprit Bumrah was not missed at first, exploiting the variable bounce that was a theme throughout the day and some early movement.

Stokes had no hesitation in batting, as is customary upon winning the toss in India, despite wariness over a track he described as “interesting”. What followed was a helter-skelter opening session as England went at 4.63 an over and lost five wickets, while two of India’s five reviews were successful.

England’s openers were routinely beaten on the outside edge and Zak Crawley had his off stump uprooted on four but it was found Deep had over-stepped. Deep did not have long to wait for a maiden Test wicket, though, as a searching delivery nipped away and grazed Ben Duckett’s outside edge on 11.

Ollie Pope lasted two deliveries as India overturned a not out leg-before verdict and an eventful over saw Root survive the hosts’ review for lbw first ball after getting fractionally outside the line of off stump.

Crawley then Jonny Bairstow counter-attacked, with both finding success against the expensive Mohammed Siraj.

But Crawley departed for a run-a-ball 42 when Deep’s in-ducker snaked through the gate and kissed the off bail, while Bairstow was lbw on review for 38 after missing a slog sweep off Ravichandran Ashwin, who claimed his 100th Test wicket against England.

The tourists’ cause worsened on the stroke of lunch when Stokes was lbw to an ankle-high shooter from Jadeja, the England captain throwing his head back and laughing ruefully as he began to trudge off before the umpire had raised his finger.

A frenetic morning gave way to a sedate afternoon as Root and Foakes settled for steady accumulation. The pitch did not have as many demons upon the resumption and while the odd one kept low, the English pair were alert to the danger.

There were just seven boundaries between lunch and tea after 13 fours and two sixes in the opening session but India’s often poor ground fielding allowed Root and Foakes to regularly rotate the strike.

Root went seamlessly to his first fifty in seven innings, after which Foakes, whose first boundary came with a drive off Kuldeep Yadav from his 66th ball, pushed the accelerator by taking 18 off an Ashwin over, including a big blow over the leg-side for six.

Foakes fell three short of a fifty after tamely chipping to midwicket, ending a 113-run stand with Root, while Siraj had his second wicket by knocking back the off-stump of Tom Hartley for 13.

Root, whose first and only reverse sweep came when he was on 76, kept going and moved to three figures with drive through the covers off Deep for his ninth four.

He celebrated the milestone in understated fashion by kissing the badge on his helmet and raising his bat as his team-mates, led by a grinning Stokes, celebrated enthusiastically on the balcony.

Root shared an unbroken 57 with Ollie Robinson, who should have been out on eight but India had burned their reviews. Instead Robinson, making his first appearance of the series, contributed 31 not out, taking England past 300 with a dismissive swipe for four off Yashasvi Jaiswal’s last over of the day.

Joe Root made a timely return to form as he and Ben Foakes defied an unpredictable pitch to stabilise England after a frenetic start to the fourth Test against India in Ranchi.

On a cracked surface offering significant assistance for India’s bowlers, Ben Stokes’ dismissal to a Ravindra Jadeja grubber left England on 112 for five after debutant Akash Deep’s three-wicket haul.

But Root registered his first fifty in seven innings – dating back to last summer’s Ashes – and went to tea on 67 not out out of England’s 198 for five, with Foakes unbeaten on 28 in an unbroken stand of 86.

Root received criticism for his first-innings dismissal in Rajkot which was a sliding doors moment in England’s heavy defeat, and the Yorkshireman put away his reverse ramps and settled for a more patient, orthodox approach to blunt India’s quicks and spinners.

Conditions eased in the second session after England’s top-order was given a stiff working over, with Stokes electing to bat despite describing the surface as “interesting” and “like nothing I’ve ever seen before” this week in a series his side currently trail 2-1.

As well as uneven bounce, Crawley and Ben Duckett had to contend with sideways movement and the openers were beaten on the outside edge more than once. Crawley then had a major reprieve when his off stump was sent cartwheeling by an in-ducker but Deep’s overstep briefly denied him a maiden Test wicket.

Having taken just four off his first 16 balls, he took 28 off his next 16 after driving and twice clipping for three successive fours before a monstrous six off the expensive Siraj.

Duckett, though, feathered behind after being done on the angle from Akash Deep, who then had Ollie Pope lbw two balls later despite England’s number three advancing down the pitch. An India review was successful and they also queried a not out decision when Root was struck on the pad first ball.

Root had managed to get just outside the line but England were three down as Deep atoned for his no-ball by clipping the top of Crawley’s off-stump for a run-a-ball 42.

The out-of-form Jonny Bairstow, averaging 17 in this series, was purposeful and especially fluent against Siraj, late-cutting the seamer for four then crunching two more boundaries in his next over. When Bairstow slog swept Ravichandran Ashwin for six, it appeared it would be the Yorkshireman’s day.

However, Ashwin tempted Bairstow (38) into another slog sweep which he missed. Umpire Rod Tucker was unmoved by an lbw appeal but another review vindicated India and Ashwin had his 100th wicket against England.

England’s cause worsened on the stroke of lunch when Ben Stokes was leg-before to an ankle-high shooter from Jadeja, the England captain trudging off even before the umpire raised his finger.

A frenzied morning gave way to a more sedate start to the afternoon, with Root and Foakes settling for steady accumulation as Jadeja and Ashwin operated in tandem. There were 13 fours and two sixes in the morning but England did not get a boundary until the 82nd ball of the second session.

Root was particularly strong behind square on both sides of the wicket, judicious on front and back foot, although both he and Foakes – whose first four came off his 66th ball – were kept honest by the odd one keeping low.

After Root moved to a 108-ball fifty, India burned their final review on a frivolous lbw appeal off Foakes as the England pair batted out a wicketless session.

England lost five wickets in an eventful first session of the fourth Test as India seamer Akash Deep took centre stage on a pitch in Ranchi already showing signs of uneven bounce.

How India would fare without the rested Jasprit Bumrah was answered emphatically by Deep, who bowled Zak Crawley with a no-ball then snared Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope within the space of three deliveries.

Crawley was dismissed for a run-a-ball 42 after Deep clipped the top of his off-stump and while Jonny Bairstow led a brief counter-attack, he was dismissed for 38 off 35 balls by Ravichandran Ashwin.

The tourists’ cause then worsened on the stroke of lunch when Ben Stokes was lbw to an ankle-high shooter from Ravindra Jadeja, the England captain walking off even before the umpire raised his finger as his side ended the session on 112 for five.

Stokes described a cracked, crumbly surface as “interesting” and “like nothing I’ve ever seen before” this week but he elected to bat first and his top-order was given a stiff working over.

Both Crawley and Duckett were beaten on the outside edge several times by Deep and Mohammed Siraj, as England made a tentative start just a few days after falling 2-1 behind the series following a heavy defeat in Rajkot last week.

Crawley’s off-stump was sent cartwheeling but he was called back after Deep had overstepped the front line. Having taken just four off his first 16 balls, he took 28 off his next 16 after driving and twice clipping for three successive fours before a monstrous six off Siraj.

India turned to Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin in the ninth over but they persisted with the probing Deep, who snared Duckett for 11 with a good length delivery which nipped away a fraction and grazed the outside edge.

Ollie Pope’s attempt to negate the movement was unsuccessful as he lasted two balls. Despite getting nearly three metres out in front he was rapped on the pads by Deep and India successfully reviewed the not out decision.

Deep ended a lively first hour by castling Crawley again – a near-identical delivery to his no-ball earlier – but this time, there was no reprieve for the England opener.

The out-of-form Bairstow, averaging 17 in this series, was purposeful and especially fluent against Siraj, late-cutting the seamer for four then crunching two more boundaries in his next over. When Bairstow slog swept Ravichandran Ashwin for six, it appeared it would be the Yorkshireman’s day.

However, Ashwin continued round the wicket and tempted Bairstow into another slog sweep which he missed. Umpire Rod Tucker was unmoved by India’s lbw appeal but another review vindicated the hosts.

England will be without Rehan Ahmed for the rest of their tour of India as the teenage leg-spinner is set to return home because of an urgent family matter.

The 19-year-old featured in the first three Tests but was left out of the penultimate contest in Ranchi as England selected slow left-armer Tom Hartley and off-break bowler Shoaib Bashir as their spinners.

The tourists do not intend to draft in a replacement for Ahmed, despite being left with 14 players for the final Test in Dharamshala in a fortnight and two frontline spinners in Hartley and Bashir.

A brief statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board said: “Rehan Ahmed will return home for personal reasons with immediate effect from England men’s Test tour of India.

“He will not be returning to India. England will not be replacing Ahmed for the rest of the tour.”

Ahmed, England’s youngest senior cricketer in all three formats, has taken 11 wickets in the series at an average of 44, including six dismissals in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.

Rehan featured in Rajkot last week despite a visa problem in the build-up. He was given a temporary two-day visa before the issue was resolved and was praised for how he handled the situation by Stokes.

“The great thing about youth is they just take everything in their stride,” Stokes said last week. “He handled a situation that could have affected quite a lot of people in a different way very, very well.”

Middle-order batter Harry Brook withdrew ahead of the series because of personal reasons while left-arm spinner Jack Leach pulled out of the tour because of a knee injury sustained in the first Test.

India have also had to contend with a high-profile withdrawal in star batter Virat Kohli due to personal reasons, and injuries have deprived them of Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant.

England have drafted in seamer Ollie Robinson and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir for their must-win fourth Test against India in Ranchi.

Fast bowler Mark Wood drops out after an onerous workload in the third-Test defeat in Ranchi, where he bowled mainly in sweltering conditions, while leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has also been omitted.

Robinson is set for his first appearance of the series while Bashir returns after taking four wickets on his England debut in the second Test in Visakhapatnam earlier this month.

England trail 2-1 in the five-match series.

England vice-captain Ollie Pope has described the pitch for the fourth Test in Ranchi as “interesting” but believes this may favour the tourists after back-to-back defeats by India.

The playing surface in the Jharkhand capital 48 hours out from the first day of the penultimate match has cracks running down one side of the cut strip and was watered on Wednesday morning before being briefly left to bake under the sun.

A crusted top layer formed before the area was covered – all of which suggests some balls may explode off the ground and spinners from both sides are likely to be involved from the off.

India hold a 2-1 lead on pitches that have generally been slow turners, with the team that has won the toss coming out on top on all three occasions, but England are gearing up for lavish spin this week.

“It looks an interesting pitch,” Pope said. “It doesn’t necessarily look like a belting wicket at the moment. It kind of looks like one half is good and there’s a lot of cracks (on the other half).”

Pope, though, insisted this does not faze England, who are likely to go back to their policy of selecting one front-line seamer to bowl alongside three spinners that they had in the first two Tests.

That suggests either or both of James Anderson and Mark Wood dropping out, with Ollie Robinson in the frame for the first time in the series, and Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir as the spinners.

“If that does a fair bit like we expect it to having looked at it, it definitely brings us into the game,” Pope said. “If it does spin from ball one, I guess it’s an even playing field.

“We have got some young spinners but I think they’ve bowled well on some pretty good surfaces as well so it definitely brings some wicket-taking opportunities into the game.

“It takes the toss a little bit out of it as well. When the ball’s doing more, your best bet is trying to hit the bowler off his length and try and get him to not bowl where he wants to bowl every ball.”

The return of Ben Stokes as a fully fledged all-rounder is gathering more momentum, with the England captain having an extended bowling session at the batters in the nets without any apparent discomfort.

He was seen briefly speaking to team doctor Glen Rae after he had stopped, raising the prospect of Stokes bowling competitively this week for the first time since last year’s Lord’s Ashes Test.

Stokes had surgery on his left knee in November, with stitches in his meniscus and a big bone spur removed, but had made a “pinky promise” to England’s physiotherapist he would not bowl on this tour.

But Stokes revealed after England’s 434-run defeat in Rajkot he was further along in his progress than was initially suspected to be the case and bowling at optimum level.

“There’s definitely a chance,” Pope, England’s vice-captain, said. “He’s not confirmed it even in the changing room, so we will see. We’ll see how he pulls up, and if that’s good hopefully we will see him with the ball in hand in the game.

“If he’s got full confidence in his knee, I guess you’ve got to trust the medical advice and trust his opinions as well. If he needs a bit of guidance on the pitch then I can be someone to lean on.”

Captain Ben Stokes said England still have a “great chance” to win the Test series against India despite their crushing 434-run defeat in Rajkot.

England collapsed to their heaviest Test defeat in terms of runs since the Second World War to go 2-1 down in the five-match series.

Another blockbuster double century from Yashasvi Jaiswal set England a world record target of 557 to win the third Test.

Jaiswal, who made 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out, equalled the record for the most sixes in an innings with a dozen in his unbeaten 214 to underpin India’s 430 for four declared.

England never threatened to achieve the unthinkable as India’s attack – latterly bolstered by the return of Ravichandran Ashwin following his departure due to a family medical emergency – tore through the tourists’ beleaguered line-up.

“It doesn’t always work out how you want, but we still have a great chance to win the trophy 3-2,” Stokes told TNT Sports.

“We leave this game behind us, just as we did with the first two matches, and we know we have to win the next two games to take the series.”

Ravindra Jadeja led the way with five for 41 as Stokes’ side were skittled in 39.4 overs.

Stokes was asked if England’s aggressive style could be perceived as reckless.

“Everyone has a perception and an opinion about things but the opinions of the people in the dressing room are the only one that matters to us,” the England skipper continued.

“We know that things don’t always work out how you want them to.

“Ben Duckett (153) played an unbelievable first innings and that was the tone we wanted to set throughout and it was about identifying that opportunity to push the scoreboard on and get as close as we could do to India’s total.

“I wanted us to be bowling yesterday, even though it came earlier than we expected, because of how we felt the wicket was going. We wanted to push the game on as much as we possibly could, but sometimes gameplans don’t work out and that is sport sometimes.”

England were chastened as never before in the Bazball era, all out for a meek 122 to collapse to their heaviest Test defeat in terms of runs since the Second World War.

Yashasvi Jaiswal followed up his 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out with 214 not out in Rajkot as India became the first side to declare against England under the axis of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

After India amassed 430 for four to set a world-record 557 to win the third Test, England never looked like living up to their billing as happy hunters and were skittled in 39.4 overs to lose by a whopping 434 runs.

Only once before have England been hammered by a wider margin – against Australia by 562 runs in a timeless Test in 1934 – while they were spared total embarrassment by the last three wickets adding 72.

England were powerless to stop India from upping their lead past 400 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s impending return to the third Test is set to add an extra layer of difficulty to the tourists’ hopes.

India reached lunch on 314 for four as they stretched an overnight lead of 322 to 440 on the penultimate day in Rajkot, with England seemingly running out of ideas underneath the baking sun.

The hosts are likely to declare at some point in the afternoon as they push to go 2-1 ahead in the five-match series and their bid will be boosted by Ashwin coming back into the fold at some point.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse meant they had a first-innings deficit of 126.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Gill set off from the non-striker’s end only to be sent back by nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav and not even a desperate dive was enough as Tom Hartley whipped off the bails following Ben Stokes’ sharp throw.

Up until that moment on the stroke of drinks, it had been a frustrating morning for England, underscored by a failure to review a leg-before off Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed a sweep off Hartley.

England were down to just one review, having already spurned a review on a tail-end batter averaging just 10 earlier in the session, but they have now missed three referrals in this Test.

The miss did not matter as Yadav failed to add to his 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, two of India’s bigger-hitters, and the pair looked utterly untroubled, each smashing Root over the leg-side boundary in a single over.

Jaiswal was on 149 not out at lunch with debutant Sarfaraz on an unbeaten 22 off just 23 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to the fold for India against England on the penultimate day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s withdrawal from the Test on Friday evening to tend to a family medical emergency effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball.

But the spinning great will take India back up to their full complement at some point on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately as they look to move into a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

A statement from Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said: “Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on day four.

“The team management, players, media and fans have shown immense understanding and empathy, acknowledging the importance of family as a priority.

“The team and its supporters have stood united in support of Ashwin during this challenging period, and the management is delighted to welcome him back to the field.

“Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times.”

Ashwin celebrated his 500th Test wicket just a few hours before pulling out and heading “to Chennai to be with his mother”, according to BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla on X.

Despite India being a bowler down in his absence, England threw away a promising position of 224 for two as they were all out for 319 and a deficit of 126 after the first innings.

India have since swelled their advantage and Ashwin’s impending return will aid their cause when England go off in pursuit of what would be a world record chase in the fourth innings.

England were powerless to stop India from upping their lead past 400 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s impending return to the third Test is set to add an extra layer of difficulty to the tourists’ hopes.

India reached lunch on 314 for four as they stretched an overnight lead of 322 to 440 on the penultimate day in Rajkot, with England seemingly running out of ideas underneath the baking sun.

The hosts are likely to declare at some point in the afternoon as they push to go 2-1 ahead in the five-match series and their bid will be boosted by Ashwin coming back into the fold at some point.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse meant they had a first-innings deficit of 126.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Gill set off from the non-striker’s end only to be sent back by nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav and not even a desperate dive was enough as Tom Hartley whipped off the bails following Ben Stokes’ sharp throw.

Up until that moment on the stroke of drinks, it had been a frustrating morning for England, underscored by a failure to review a leg-before off Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed a sweep off Hartley.

England were down to just one review, having already spurned a review on a tail-end batter averaging just 10 earlier in the session, but they have now missed three referrals in this Test.

The miss did not matter as Yadav failed to add to his 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, two of India’s bigger-hitters, and the pair looked utterly untroubled, each smashing Root over the leg-side boundary in a single over.

Jaiswal was on 149 not out at lunch with debutant Sarfaraz on an unbeaten 22 off just 23 balls.

Ben Duckett’s terrific unbeaten century led England’s fightback against India as he repelled even Ravichandran Ashwin on the day the off-spinning great celebrated his 500th Test wicket.

India racked up an imposing 445 in Rajkot, aided by some slipshod England fielding, but Duckett’s boundary-laden 133 not out off just 118 deliveries rocketed the tourists to 207 for two after day two of this third Test.

Duckett’s first iteration as a Test cricketer met its demise in India after he was tormented by Ashwin in November 2016 but he laid any ghosts to rest with a classy innings, reaching his ton off 88 balls.

It was the quickest by an Englishman in India as he swept the spinners to distraction in the final session as well as driving and cutting the quicks with regularity, collecting 21 fours and two sixes.

He refused to allow anyone to settle, which meant Ashwin’s milestone wicket was overshadowed after dismissing Zak Crawley for 15 to become just the ninth bowler and second Indian to join the 500 club.

Ashwin had earlier been responsible for England starting their innings on five without loss after encroaching on the protected area of the pitch while batting.

Ravindra Jadeja had been given India’s first and only warning on day one so when Ashwin did the same attempting a single, England were handed five runs. That became six for none without a legal ball bowled when Jasprit Bumrah overstepped at the start of England’s innings before tea.

India’s total was striking and while England were typically undaunted, Duckett was given an initial working over by Mohammed Siraj, who beat the left-hander’s outside edge three times in a single over.

But Duckett accelerated rapidly after tea, taking 10 fours in his first 27 balls of the session, picking the gaps with alarming ease as he repeatedly swept left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and drove and carved through the off-side off Siraj.

Given Duckett’s past struggles against Ashwin, dismissed five times in five Tests, it was a surprise he was held back until the 12th over with England on 76 for none. Duckett was on 55 and Ashwin did strike for his landmark wicket but it was Crawley who spooned a sweep out of the rough to short fine-leg.

The end of an 89-run opening stand did not deter Duckett, who slog swept Ashwin for six, moments after surviving an India lbw review on 79, saved by an inside edge following Bumrah’s searing yorker.

Duckett might have been on course for England’s fastest Test century at one stage but he spent 12 balls in the 90s before driving Siraj down the ground for his 19th four to bring up England’s second quickest ton by an opener – two balls slower than Crawley managed against Pakistan in December 2022.

The expensive Siraj ended Duckett’s 93-run stand with Ollie Pope, given out for 39 on review after being struck on the knee roll but England, motoring along at six an over, still finished strongly.

They began the day seeking quick wickets as India resumed on 326 for five. James Anderson winkled out night watcher Kuldeep after drawing a faint edge while Jadeja, on 112, tamely chipped back to Joe Root, who partially atoned for shelling Rohit Sharma the day before, a drop which cost England 104 runs.

India might have been 331 for seven but debutant Dhruv Jurel was selected ahead of Srikar Bharat for his batting and Ashwin possesses five Test hundreds. They were both allowed to settle as England lacked their usual vigour and the only moment of concern for India before lunch was Ashwin’s penalisation.

Ashwin remonstrated with Joel Wilson, putting his hand on the umpire’s shoulder, and seemed distinctly unimpressed for a while afterwards but refused to succumb to a rush of blood.

India’s batters accumulated steadily but Jurel had two reprieves on 32 at the afternoon’s outset, with Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes spilling chest-high catches. They were both difficult, Stokes’ especially, but took England’s missed opportunities up to five – three drops and two failed referrals.

India had gone beyond 400 when Anderson held on to one, albeit at the second attempt, as Ashwin slammed to mid-on for 37 off Rehan Ahmed, who was twice deposited back over his head for six by Jurel.

Rehan gained revenge as Jurel fell four short of a fifty after feathering an attempted cut but Bumrah clattered 26 before being pinned in front by Mark Wood, the pick of England’s attack with four for 114.

NB: You can catch the exciting action between India and England on Sportsmax.

England were sloppy in the field as India racked up an imposing 445 on the second day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes reprieved Dhruv Jurel when the debutant was on 32 and, while the drops were not too ruinous, England created 15 wicket-taking opportunities in total just to bundle out India.

They were kept in the field for 130.5 overs in baking hot temperatures before reaching 31 without loss at tea, their total partly swelled by Ravichandran Ashwin running on the pitch when he was batting.

Ravindra Jadeja had received India’s first and final warning the day before for encroaching on the protected area, so when Ashwin did the same after setting off for an aborted single, umpire Joel Wilson signalled that England would be awarded five penalty runs at the start of their innings.

Jadeja would have been expected to marshal the lower order but he was dismissed for 112, leaving India on 331 for seven but Jurel (46) and Ashwin (37) helped India add 114 for the last three wickets.

England sought quick wickets as India resumed on 326 for five and the hosts added just five runs before both overnight batters were back in the pavilion. James Anderson winkled out nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav, who edged behind, while Joe Root gratefully accepted a return catch to see off Jadeja.

It was partial redemption for Root following his drop of Rohit Sharma the previous day, which ended up costing England 104 runs, but India were far from finished with both Jurel and Ashwin capable batters.

A reshuffle in India’s order brought out Ashwin at nine, despite possessing five Test tons, and he and Jurel batted in a measured fashion, with England appearing to lack their usual vigour in the field. Jurel showed his class by uppercutting a neck-high Mark Wood bouncer for six.

A moment of drama arrived before lunch when Ashwin was sanctioned for running along the middle of the pitch, giving England five penalty runs at the start of their innings. Clearly unhappy at the decision, Ashwin nevertheless refused to succumb to a rush of blood.

Jurel had two reprieves after the resumption as Pope put down a simple chance at midwicket, while the usually reliable Stokes was unable to cling on to a sharper chance at short fine-leg.

Jurel compounded England’s lackadaisical efforts by slamming Rehan Ahmed for two sixes, although the leg-spinner took out both set batters after India had passed 400. Ashwin advanced and slammed a googly to mid-on, where James Anderson held on at the second attempt, while Jurel edged a cut shot behind.

Again, England’s work was not done as Bumrah teed off with abandon, slamming Tom Hartley high over deep midwicket, in a lively 26 off 28 balls before being trapped plumb in front by Wood.

England started their innings on five for none without facing a single delivery after Ashwin’s earlier transgression and they got a further run after Bumrah got under way with a front-foot no-ball.

Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who was fine to bowl despite a blow to his knee while batting, delivered a probing new-ball spell but Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett were given few alarms in the half-hour before tea.