India registered a thumping 434-run victory over England in the third Test in Rajkot on Sunday. This was India’s biggest win by a margin of runs in the longest format. After setting a target of 557, Rohit Sharma and co bundled out the visitors for 122 with Ravindra Jadeja taking a five-wicket haul. Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed his second double-century to guide India to a huge total. With this win, India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The hosts will now look to gain an unassailable lead with a win in the upcoming fourth Test.
Ahead of the fourth match, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden predicted that the series would end in the favor of the hosts.
“I think it’s India all the way (the result of the series). I was looking at the result this morning and thought that India, as a touring side, is a challenge for this reason. It’s a battle of energy and conservation of that resource, which is very limited,” Hayden told Star Sports.
Hayden also advised Ben Stokes and co to have a still mindset like a ‘guru’ in order to survive the challenging and tough conditions while playing in India.
“The game, the spectators and the country just keeps coming at you. There’s this great energy in India, especially in winning against England, and you can put Australia on that list as well especially now. You have to be a guru and have to have a mindset of stillness just to be able to survive mentally there,” said Hayden.
“You have already seen England this series get in front of games, but not be able to sustain it. And it is because of the relentless nature of having to turn up every moment, every ball, every session,” he added.
India and England will be squaring off against each other in the fourth Test of the five-match series from February 23 in Ranchi.
