England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley shattered a historic partnership record against India as they put up another impressive stand for the opening wicket in the second innings of the fifth Test. India had set a daunting target of 374 in the second innings of the Oval Test in a bid to level the series, and the English openers provided the team with a fine start.
Crawley and Duckett blunted the new ball late on the third day in contrasting fashion, with Duckett being the aggressor, while Crawley took a bit of a cautious route. The two brought up a fifty-run stand and shattered a historic partnership record during their stand.
This was their ninth fifty-plus stand for the opening wicket against India, which is now the most for the first wicket in Test cricket against the Indian team. The English pair was previously tied with West Indies greats Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, who also had eight such stands against India in the format.
Most 50-plus stands for an opening pair vs India in Tests:
9 - Zak Crawley & Ben Duckett (ENG)
8 - Gordon Greenidge & Desmond Haynes (WI)
7 - Alastair Cook & Andrew Strauss (ENG)
7 - Matthew Hayden & Justin Langer (AUS)
7 - Bill Lawry & Bob Simpson (AUS)
Duckett, Crawley complete 1000 runs as opening pair against India
The two English batters also completed 1000 runs for the opening wicket against India during the same innings. They have become the first English opening pair to achieve this feat and the second overall, after Gordon Greenidge & Desmond Haynes of the West Indies.
Notably, Mohammed Siraj struck in the dying stages of the moving day when he removed Crawley with a brilliant plan worked along with the captain Shubman Gill. The visitors placed a fielder deep on the leg side, sending an indication of an incoming short ball; however, they played a bluff as Siraj went for a yorker to get rid of Crawley as the Three Lions ended the day on 50/1.
