India gets in a commanding position with a 95-run lead in the first innings on the back of Jadeja’s outstanding knock and the tail adding valuable runs on the third day of the first Test at Trent Bridge.
The first Test at Nottingham between England and India has seen the momentum swing in both sides’ favour multiple times. The third day of the match was no different as both the teams had their moments. While England couldn’t take their chances, India made the most of theirs and piled on a 95-run lead in the first innings. KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were stars of the day with their half-centuries.
As it happened, the day had a delayed start due to rain, with the game hanging in the balance. Rishabh Pant came out with attacking intent and took on the English bowlers. A few miscues, a few edges, and Pant managed to add quick 25 off 20 deliveries.
His duel with Ollie Robinson in the 50th over was quite interesting. Pant slashed a full-length delivery which landed just inches away from gulley for a boundary. The next delivery, Robinson bowled a bouncer and Pant top-edged it for a maximum. The young batter popped the next good length delivery straight to short cover. India were half the side down on 145.
Ravindra Jadeja joined KL Rahul in the middle, and the duo levelled the score in no time but not without a run-out scare early in Jadeja’s innings. Both the batters played some delightful shots in route to a 60-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Just when it looked like Rahul might go on to score a much deserving hundred, James Anderson struck for the hosts. Batting on 84, Rahul fell for a full outside off delivery as he nicked to Buttler while trying to drive through covers. The England quick went past India legend Anil Kumble to become the third-highest wicket-taker in Test history.
Anderson struck in his next over, too – this time, the victim was Shardul Thakur, who was slotted in the side for batting depth. Thakur couldn’t do much against a perfect delivery on off stump, which straightened up to take a thick edge. With three tailenders remaining, Jadeja took things in his hands and smashed a few boundaries, including a flick over backward square leg for a six.
In the last three years, Jadeja brought up his half-century with a boundary off Robinson to continue his incredible form with the bat. But as was the case with Pant, Robinson had the last laugh after a couple of boundaries in the same over as Jadeja skied a length delivery to mid-off.
England may have thought that they could restrict India’s lead under 60, but Indian pacers turned up – with the bat in hand. Shami scored 13 runs before getting his stumps rattled off a full ball by Robinson. After which Siraj and Bumrah joined hands to frustrate the English players.
Especially Bumrah, who laid it into Sam Curran to smash him for three successive boundaries, including a pull shot that landed into the stands. The duo added 33 runs for the last wicket before Bumrah was dismissed by a Robinson bouncer on 28 off 34 to finish India’s first innings on 278. Robinson registered his first five-wicket in his second Test.
The Indian team walked into the ground for the second innings with a huge lead and were all charged up. The English openers had a huge task in front of them. Rory Burns and Dom Sibley were watchful and defended well not to give any opportunities to the visitors. The duo even scored a couple of fine-looking boundaries. Burns and Sibley safely negotiated 11 overs before the rain started falling down and the day’s play was abandoned.
India are still in the driving seat with a lead of 70 runs, but with the weather forecast predicting more rain, the result might not be straightforward.
Brief Scores
England 1st innings – 183 in 65.4 overs (Root 64, Bairstow 29; Bumrah 4/46, Shami 3/28)
India 1st innings – 278 in 84.5 overs (Rahul 84, Jadeja 56; Robinson 5/85, Anderson 4/54)
England 2nd innings – 25/0 in 11.1 overs (Burns 11*, Sibley 9*) trail by 70 runs.
