Mumbai: While it still is too early to predict who will win the fourth India versus England Test in Mumbai, debutant Keaton Jennings has already pulled off a Kevin Pietersen by scoring a superb ton (112) at the Wankhede Stadium against India, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Pietersen’s enthralling 186-run knock, which many consider to be one of his best, not only helped England win the Mumbai Test in 2012, it also played a pivotal part in Alastair Cook and Co’s famous comeback series win (2-1) against MS Dhoni-led Indian side.
Keaton, like Pietersen, was born in South Africa and played a considerable amount of cricket in the Proteas land before turning up for his adopted country to score a ton.
Keaton, who scored his maiden hundred in Tests in Mumbai, became the 14th cricketer to have brought up a ton on debut against India in the longer format of the game. The 24-year-old also became the 19th England cricketer to have scored a Test hundred in his opening game.
While Keaton, son of former South Africa and IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Ray Jennings, had an early escape on day one of the fourth Test, after Karun Nair could not hold onto a difficult chance at gully, the Durham cricketer played a fluent knock as England showed some fight after two successive defeats in Vizag and Mohali.
Keaton, who was with the England Lions in the United Arab Emirates, was drafted into the England side for India Tests after Haseeb Hameed – another promising youngster – injured his thumb during the Mohali Test.
While Hameed, in the three Tests he played against India, impressed one and all with his technique and temperament, Keaton’s hundred will offer England a positive headache after they had failed to find a solid opening partner for Cook following Andre Strauss’ retirement four years ago.
Keaton became Cook’s 11th opening partner since Strauss, now Director of Cricket for England side, hanged his boots from international cricket.
While England, who have won last three bilateral Test series against India, have no chance to make it four-series wins in a row, even if they manage to win the ongoing Test, it will keep alive their hopes to level the five-match Test series.
Meanwhile Keaton, who once accompanied his “coachy” father Ray to the RCB camp where the likes of Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble – current India coach – and Rahul Dravid played, would be a happy man if his efforts bear fruit in England’s revival against India.
