The five-match Test series between India and England is beautifully poised at the moment with both teams winning one Test each. England surprised India in the first Test, registering a come-from-behind win over the hosts to take 1-0 lead. That loss was a wake up call for India and they did well to make a strong comeback in Visakhapatnam to make it 1-1. After two Tests, the teams went for a short break to spend some time with their families and have now landed in Rajkot where the third Test is to be played.
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What happened when last time India played England in Rajkot?
England played a Test at Rajkot on their tour of India in 2016 and had dominated the proceedings. Winning the toss, the visitors had opted to bat first and put on 547 in the first innings thanks to hundreds from Joe Root and Ben Stokes. India’s Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara struck hundreds to guide India to 488 in first innings. England captain Alastair Cook hit 130 in the 2nd innings as England declared at 260 for 3. India found themselves in a spot when they were 5 down for 118 but thanks to Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, they managed to take the match to a draw.
What happened in India’s last Test here?
The ground has hosted just 2 Tests. While the first Test was a draw, India won the second Test played at Saurashtra Cricket Assocation (SCA) in Rajkot in 2018 vs West Indies. It was d dominant win where India posted 649 for 9 declared in the first innings as Prithvi Shaw got a hundred while Kohli too finished with 139 runs in the first innings. Windies batters struggled on this pitch as spin trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav got most of the wickets. India, in the end, registered a win by one innings and 272 runs.
Is that you, @HomeOfCricket? ,
__ #INDvENG _______ | #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/Kourr3DRy6— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 13, 2024
About the pitch in Rajkot
If the numbers of the two Tests which have been played here are to go by, one gets a clue that this is a batting surface. A kind of pitch that will suit India more. Remember that India are befitted more when they play on pitches that support batters for first two days and then begin to deteriorate to assist the spinners. Rank turners, on the other hand, are only going to bring England more and more into the match.
The SCA stadium surface will have runs and for the first time in the series, we might big scores of 500 and 600 runs being achieved in an innings. The pitch will definitely have spice for the spinners and pacers will also enjoy bowling here, but only after the pitch has been used for two days. Teams winning the toss would love to bat first here as chasing in the fourth innings could turn out to be tricky.
Want to see the pitch for the 3rd Test in Rajkot? Go on, then. It’s just been sprayed with some liquid – not sure what – so looks a little darker (damper) than it may later. pic.twitter.com/ut2TlwooKc
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) February 13, 2024 Rajkot weather from February 15 to 19
Good news on weather front as Rajkot is not likely to see a single drop of rain on all five days of the match, starting February 15. As per weather apps, the temperature will be between 32 degree to 36 degree celcius and rain will not halt. or stop playing on any day.
SCS stadium Rajkot: Stats and record
Two Test matches played so far in Rajkot, out of which India have won one while one match ended in a draw. Visiting teams have never won any Test here. Teams batting first have won a Test.
In 2018, during a cricket match between India and West Indies, India achieved the highest team total in Rajkot which is 649/9 (d), while West Indies recorded the lowest team total of 181 all out against India.
The average 1st innings score in Rajkot is 593, with the 2nd innings averaging 334, the 3rd innings averaging 228, and the 4th innings averaging 172.
Notably, Virat Kohli of India has scored the highest individual score of 139 against West Indies in 2018. The best bowling innings is credited to Kuldeep Yadav of India, who claimed figures of 5 for 57 against West Indies in 2018.
Meanwhile, the best bowling match performance was achieved by Adil Rashid of England, who took 7 for 158 against India in 2016.