On this day in 2024, India secured their largest Test victory by runs, defeating England by a staggering 434 runs at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

The match was marked by Yashasvi Jaiswal's brilliant double century, where he smashed a record 12 sixes and Ravichandran Ashwin's milestone achievement of reaching 500 Test wickets. This was also England's defeat by runs in nearly 100 years.

Electing to bat first, India faced early setbacks, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) and Shubman Gill (0) to Mark Wood's fiery spell. The team found stability when captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja joined forces. Their resilient partnership of 204 runs for the fourth wicket became the cornerstone of India's innings. Rohit led from the front by scoring a brilliant 131, while Jadeja scored 112. Debutant Sarfaraz Khan also made a significant impact, scoring a brisk 62 off 66 balls, which included nine fours and a six, before a run-out ended his promising innings. With handy contributions from Dhruv Jurel (46) and Ashwin (37) down the order, India scored 445 in their first innings.

England's response

Embracing their 'Bazball' philosophy, England started their innings with aggressive intent. Opener Ben Duckett led the charge, by slamming a scintillating 153 runs at a run-a-ball pace. His efforts propelled England to a rapid 224 for 2 within just 40 overs. However, the middle and lower order couldn't capitalise on this momentum, leading to England being bowled out for 319 while conceding a significant 126-run first-innings deficit.

Jaiswal's record-breaking knock

In their second outing, India aimed to set an insurmountable target. Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered an extraordinary performance, smashing a world-record 12 sixes en route to his unbeaten 214. This innings was his second double century of the series as his explosive batting was complemented by a swift 172-run partnership with Sarfaraz Khan, who scored his second half-century of the match. Their partnership, scoring at over 6.53 runs per over, left England facing a daunting target of 557 runs.

Facing an uphill battle, England's batting lineup crumbled under pressure. The team plummeted to 50 for 7 within the first 25 overs, unable to withstand India's relentless bowling attack. Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the chief architect of England's downfall, claiming 5 wickets for 41 runs. His spin-bowling partner, Ravichandran Ashwin, also reached a personal milestone during the match, becoming only the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to surpass 500 Test wickets, achieving this feat in record time.