Jaiswal's Century & Jadeja's Records: India's Historic Oval Test

What a rollercoaster of a series this has been! The final Test at The Oval has been the perfect encapsulation of India's dominance, especially with the bat. Day 3 was an absolute masterclass in setting up a match, with India's batsmen firing on all cylinders to put England in a near-impossible position, chasing a mammoth target of 374 runs.

Key Highlights

• ✓ India amassed a monumental 3809 runs in the series, the second-most by any team in Test history.
• ✓ Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a brilliant 118, his sixth Test century, after a motivating message from Rohit Sharma.
• ✓ Ravindra Jadeja had a historic series, scoring 516 runs and becoming the highest-scoring visiting player at No. 6 or lower in England.
• ✓ The team hit a record-breaking 470 boundaries (422 fours and 48 sixes), the most ever in a Test series.
• ✓ Shubman Gill's series aggregate of 754 runs is the second-highest for a captain in Test history, only behind Don Bradman.

From a stunning century by Yashasvi Jaiswal to the relentless consistency of the lower order, this wasn't just a good day of cricket; it was a statement. This entire series, officially the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, has been one for the record books, and it’s been incredible to watch.

Jaiswal's Masterclass and a Captain's Wisdom

Let's talk about Yashasvi Jaiswal. The young man has been a revelation, and his innings of 118 off 164 balls was pure class. It was his sixth Test century, but it felt particularly special given the context of the match. He came out with a clear plan on a pitch that he admitted felt "a bit difficult" due to the seam movement.

What's really cool is the story behind the innings. Jaiswal revealed he got a simple but powerful message from India's ODI captain, Rohit Sharma. During a break, Rohit apparently just told him to "just keep playing." Sometimes, that's all a player needs to hear. That simple encouragement helped him stay focused and put immense pressure on the English bowlers.

Interestingly, his approach was to score, and score aggressively. A whopping 79.66% of his runs—94 to be exact—came from behind square on the offside. That's an insane statistic, and according to ESPNcricinfo's logs, it's the highest percentage of runs scored in that region for any century-maker in men's Tests since 2003. It shows a player who knows his strengths and isn't afraid to use them.

💡 What's Interesting: Jaiswal shared his game plan, saying, "I focused on playing positively with the intent to put pressure on the bowlers—figuring out where they would bowl and where I could score runs."

The Unsung Heroes and Lower-Order Grit

While Jaiswal grabbed the headlines, he didn't do it alone. The day started with him and the nightwatchman, Akash Deep, frustrating the English bowlers completely. They put on a massive 107-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which really set the tone and sucked the life out of England's attack, already missing Chris Woakes.

Akash Deep's innings was something special. Scoring 66 as a nightwatchman is no small feat. In fact, it's the third-highest score by an Indian nightwatchman in Test history, only behind Syed Kirmani's 101* in 1979 and Amit Mishra's 84 in 2011. It was a brilliant, gutsy knock that provided the perfect foundation for the rest of the day.

And the contributions just kept coming. Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with a crucial 53, Dhruv Jurel added a quick 34, and Washington Sundar provided a fantastic finish with a fiery 53 off just 46 balls. This all-around batting show is what propelled India to 396 in their second innings, setting that daunting target.

Jadeja's Historic, Record-Shattering Series

We need to take a moment to appreciate the series Ravindra Jadeja has had. It's been nothing short of legendary. He's not just been good; he's been breaking records left and right. His final tally of 516 runs is the fifth-highest for any batsman coming in at No. 6 or lower in a Test series, ever. That's a huge deal.

This performance also makes him the highest-scoring Indian batter at that position in a single series, surpassing the great VVS Laxman's 474 runs from 2002. His six fifty-plus scores are the joint-most for anyone batting at No. 6 or lower in a series. He's been the backbone of India's lower-middle order, consistently delivering under pressure.

And his love affair with English conditions continues. His career run tally in England while batting at No. 6 or lower has now reached 1131. This is the most by any visiting player in any single country, ever, surpassing Clive Lloyd's 1126 in Australia. With ten fifty-plus scores in England, he's now tied with Lloyd for the most by a visitor. The only Indian with more is the master himself, Sachin Tendulkar. That's the kind of company Jadeja is keeping these days.

A Series Straight Out of the History Books

When you zoom out and look at the whole series, the numbers are just mind-boggling. India's batting unit has been a juggernaut. They've scored a collective 3809 runs across the five matches, which is the second-most runs a team has ever scored in a Test series. The only team to score more was Australia back in a six-match Ashes series in 1989.

The consistency has been off the charts. India posted a 300-plus total on eight separate occasions, which is tied for the most ever by a team in a single series. They didn't just score runs; they scored them with flair, hitting 470 boundaries (422 fours and 48 sixes)—a new world record for a Test series. This wasn't just batting; it was an onslaught.

The individual milestones tell the same story. The team racked up 12 individual hundreds, tying the record for the most in a series. And get this: five different Indian batsmen (Jaiswal, Gill, Rahul, Jadeja) scored over 400 runs. That's only happened three other times in the history of Test cricket. It just speaks to the depth and quality of this batting lineup, led brilliantly by captain Shubman Gill, whose 754 runs put him right behind Don Bradman for most runs by a captain in a series.

On the flip side, it was a tough day and a tough series for England in the field. They dropped a staggering six catches in India's second innings alone, the most they've spilled in an innings since 2018. While Josh Tongue managed a five-wicket haul, the fielding lapses ultimately cost them dearly, allowing India to pile on the runs and take complete control of the match.

Conclusion

So, as Day 3 at the Oval Test came to a close, India stood in a completely dominant position. A late strike from Mohammed Siraj to dismiss Zak Crawley just before stumps was the cherry on top. With England at 50/1, needing another 324 runs for an unlikely victory, India has all but sealed the deal.

This wasn't just a win built on one or two performances. It was a complete team effort, marked by Jaiswal's courageous century, Jadeja's historic consistency, and a batting lineup that has rewritten the record books. It's been a phenomenal series to watch, showcasing the very best of Test cricket and solidifying this Indian team's place in history.