Jaiswal hits special ton, depleted India in control against England

The hosts bundle out England for 319 before racing toa 322-run overall lead at the end of third day

- Rasesh Mandani

If late on Day 2 it was Ben Duckett's breathtaking hundred that swung the momentum of the third Test England's way, India's rising batting star Yashasvi Jaiswal wrested the initiative back with an exhilarating hundred in the final session on Day 3. India scored 150 runs in the last session on Saturday, lifting them to 196/2 in the second innings and setting up a super Sunday for the Rajkot crowd.

The hosts were in with a chance to push for victory, their lead already worth 322 runs on a pitch where some balls turned square.

Tests are not won and lost on momentum alone though.

There's always room for fightback if you have the stomach for it. India showed that gloriously on Saturday despite being down to 10 men, having lost their 500wicket man and home bowling linchpin R Ashwin, who had to rush home to Chennai overnight due to a personal emergency.

Later in the day, Jaiswal showed England the old way of building an innings with the same flair, before retiring hurt for back spasms soon after getting his century. He was 35 off 73 balls before cutting loose against inexperienced spinners and two tiring fast bowlers. The next 65 runs in his hundred came off only 49 balls, which were as stroke-filled as Duckett's plenty of straight sixes and a few reverse-sweeps too-as if he was making a point to the visitors.

India needed a foot in the door against the rampaging English batters. And Joe Root provided just that opportunity.

Awkward Root