3 best Test knocks in Ranchi ft. Rohit Sharma

India take on England in the fourth Test of the ongoing bilateral series between the two teams at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi starting from Friday.

The hosts will hope to extend the 2-1 lead they already have in this series and turn it into an unassailable 3-1 by the time this game comes to an end.

England, however, will not be easy to roll over and one can expect them to come hard at India, especially after the two humbling losses they had in Vizag and Rajkot.

Known as a batting paradise, the stadium in Ranchi got Test status only a few years ago, and played host to its first match in the longest format of the game in 2017.

In this listicle, we bring to you the three best Test knocks in Ranchi.

#1. Rohit Sharma - 212

India captain Rohit Sharma leads this list with a stellar 212 that he scored against South Africa in the third Test of the series in Ranchi in October 2019.

Batting first, India ran up a massive score of 497-9 declared, thanks largely to Sharma's double century, and Ajinkya Rahane's thoughtful 115 in the middle-order.

It was strange to note that none of the Indian batters apart from this duo were able to score runs, save a timely half-century from Ravindra Jadeja.

India then put up a combined bowling effort to bowl the Proteas out for 162 and 133. This gave India victory by an innings and 202 runs.

#2. Cheteshwar Pujara - 202

India's rock at number three since Rahul Dravid's retirement, Cheteshwar Pujara, comes second on this list.

Pujara's claim to fame is a brilliant 202 he scored against Australia in Ranchi in the third Test of the series in March 2017.

Known to grind opponents down with his patience and composure at the crease, Pujara took 525 balls and 627 minutes to score his runs.

Earlier in Australia's first innings, Glenn Maxwell and Steven Smith scored centuries of their own, and Peter Handscomb remained unbeaten with a half-century in the second innings to help the Aussies draw the game comfortably.

#3. Steven Smith - 178*

Australia's modern-day legend Steven Smith comes third on this list. The 178* he scored came against India in the third Test of the series in March 2017. It was the same game where Cheteshwar Pujara scored 202 in India's only innings.

Batting first, Australia scored 451 thanks to Smith's unbeaten 178 and Glenn Maxwell's 104. Smith remained not out on 178 and could not get to his double century only because the batters from the other end got out.

As mentioned above, Peter Handscomb scored a gritty 72 in the second innings to help the Aussies draw the game quite comfortably.

This was a series in which Smith had one of his finest runs of form; he scored a century in three of the four Tests played in it.