The ongoing India vs England Test series has been a good contest between bat and ball. The 3rd test commenced at Rajkot on February 3 with the series scoreline before the match being 1-1. India opted to bat first at the Niranjan Shah Stadium which didn’t turn out to be a great decision. From the non-striker’s end, skipper Rohit Sharma witnessed three of his teammates lose their wickets within 10 overs.
Mark Wood’s Bouncer hits Rohit Sharma on Helmet Grill
All thanks to Mark Wood’s fiery spell, England succeeded in dominating the Indian batters early in the innings. The pitch appeared to favor the seamers as Wood generated impressive pace and bounce with the new ball. Even Rohit Sharma, who usually excels at facing short-pitched deliveries, found himself deceived by a bouncer from the England pacer.
In the 2nd ball of the 10th over, Mark Wood delivered a nasty bouncer to Rohit Sharma, striking him on his helmet grill. Commentator Mike Atherton made a witty remark over the incident, saying, “If there was no grill, Rohit Sharma would have lost his teeth.”
— Rishi (@EpicVirat) February 15, 2024
Luckily, Rohit Sharma was unharmed, and it didn’t dent his confidence. The Indian batter anchored one end while receiving support from Ravindra Jadeja at the other. At lunch, Rohit Sharma was confidently batting on 52 runs, and India’s score read 93 runs with the loss of 3 wickets. As the ball is getting old, scoring on this pitch is becoming less challenging when facing pacers.
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India has made 4 changes in the playing XI. Ravindra Jadeja returned to the side after missing the 2nd Test, while Mohammed Siraj replaced Mukesh Kumar. Besides, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan are making their Test debut at Rajkot.