Rohit Sharma expressed his displeasure as England, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were left confused after he decided it wasn’t time for India to declare just yet.
England faced a formidable challenge as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan launched a relentless assault, setting a daunting 557-run target. Jaiswal secured his second Test double century, while Sarfaraz marked a consecutive fifty as India declared at 430/4 in their second innings. Yet, a humorous incident involving Rohit Sharma just before the declaration added a comical twist, causing significant confusion and leaving Sarfaraz, Jaiswal, and the England team perplexed.
Here’s what happened; In the sequence of events, India was prepared to conclude their second innings. Rohit Sharma had donned his whites, ready to take the field towards the end of the 97th over. During the drinks break, Jaiswal and Sarfaraz, having quenched their thirst and noting their captain’s readiness, began walking towards the dressing room. This action misled Ben Stokes and the England team, creating the impression that the innings had concluded, leading them to believe that it was time for both teams to leave the field.
However, in a surprising twist, it was not yet time for England to find respite. Rohit Sharma signaled for Sarfaraz Khan and Yashasvi Jaiswal to return to the field because the captain still needed to put on his spikes. After this momentary interruption, play resumed with Sarfaraz Khan taking strike against Rehan Ahmed.
India’s innings continued for just one more over. After Sarfaraz Khan hammered the leg-spinner for 6, 4, 6, 0, and 1, Rohit Sharma decided to declare. India now held a substantial 556-run lead, attributed to Jaiswal’s monumental double century and half-centuries from Sarfaraz and Shubman Gill. However, England’s relief was short-lived, as their chase began with the worst possible start, losing four wickets within 12 overs.
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Nonetheless, the most significant statistic of the day is 434. Apart from representing Kapil Dev’s number of Test wickets, this number also symbolizes India’s margin of victory against England in Rajkot on Day 4 – marking their largest-ever win in the history of Test cricket.