Alastair Cook’s typically grinding effort of 46 not-out in his final Test innings before international retirement has left England in a strong position in the fifth Test against India at the Oval on Sunday.
🌊England were 114 for 2 in their second innings at stumps on the third day, a lead of 154 runs, having already won the five-match Test series at 3-1 up.
Now Cook🧜 and captain Joe Root (unbeaten 29), will look to pile on the agony for India when they resume their unbroken third-wicket partnership of 52 on Monday.
Earlier, India’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made an excellent comeback in Test cricket by starring with both bat and ball.
Jadeja, playing his first Test of the series after being recalled in place of the injured Ravichandran Ashwin, added to his haul of four first-innings wickets by top-scoring with 86 not-out in India’s first-innings total of 292.
Here is how the Twitter world reacted to the action all through the day:
Alastair Cook remains unbeaten!
He is 46*, within 29 runs of K♉umar Sangakkara in the all-time Test runscorers chart.
England are 114/2, leading by 154. How far can they extend their lead tomo༺rrow?
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— ICC (@ICC)
Virat is 🎃the best Batsman in the World .. .. Virat is the worst reviewer in the World ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Cook playing his last inn for I think jennin💙gs also played his last inn for ♉England for a while at least 5th Test what r ur thoughts guys ??
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
In spite of a really good co🐠meback, India still behind in this test match.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
Cook nudging & nurdling 45 runs in over 3hrs is his perfect farewell innings.
I'll miss the great entertainer when he's gone.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan)
Since Alastair Cook made his Test debut, he has hit more ones, twos, threes and fours than any other Test player. 1ꦰ02 players have hit more sixes thaꦦn him in that time.
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst)
People who don't know where Keaton Jennings's off stump is:
Ravi Jadeja
Virat Kohli
Keaton JenningsPeople who do:
Mohammed Shami— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali)
Seriously youths – sack off school and come watch Alastair Cook.
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E)
50 on 𝄹Debut for Vihari as India start well,finally some late order runs for them..
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial)
Keaton Jennings may have completed his last test innin⭕gs ahead of Alistair 🦂Cook
— Mr G (@iangills)
Four wickets in the first innings of an overseas Test for Jadeja…a measured half century to boot. Don’t be surprised if Jadeja plays ahead of Ashwin in the first Test vs Aus.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
Ishant has to go wider of the crease, closer to the Return crease to avoid creating foot marks for M🌠oeen Ali.
— Laxman Siꦯvaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1)