ENG v IND, 1st Test: England On BackFoot As Indian Tail Wags On Rain-Hit Day 3

Cricket Image for ENG v IND, 1st Test: England On BackFoot As Indian Tail Wags On Rain-Hit Day 3 (Image Source: AFP)

A solid performance by the Indian lower-order meant Virat Kohli's men have pushed England to backfoot as they finished day 3 with a lead of 70 runs. 

Resuming the day at a tricky position of 125/4, overnight batter Rishabh Pant looked at his attacking best during his 25-run knock from 20 balls. He hit Ollie Robinson for two fours and a six but the bowler had the last laugh as Pant was caught at short covers. 

Once again in a spot of bother, Rahul was joined in by Ravindra Jadeja and the two looked solid with their defense and shared a bit of luck as well with a couple of close calls. 

Jadeja was the aggressor between the two in a game-changing 60-run stand for the seventh wicket. Rahul got out at the start of the post-lunch session for a well-made 84 from 214. 

Jadeja, with no choice left, had to look for quick runs. As soon as he reached his 16th test fifty, Jadeja miscued one and it seemed that it will be another quick wrap-up of the Indian inning, but that wasn't the case today. 

Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah counter-attacked, possibly knowing that defending was just wasn't their cup of tea and India needed a few more runs. Bumrah took on Sam Curran and hit the young left-armer for two fours and a six. He added 33 runs off 26 balls with Mohammed Siraj to take the Indian lead to 95.  

India's Tail combined scored 46 runs in the first innings!
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.#ENGvIND #englandcricket #cricket #indiancricket #JaspritBumrah #mohammadshami #mohammedsiraj pic.twitter.com/pjVs3jdl68

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However, it was just a matter of time that one of them mistimed a shot to put an end to the Indian innings on 278. Ollie Robinson ended up taking a fifer while James Anderson took four wickets. 

England's opening pair - Rory Burns and Dom Sibley - played 11 overs before the rain took over and the day was called. 

Brief Score: 

England - 183/10 & 25/0 in 11.1 overs 
India - 278/10 in 84.5 overs