The IND vs ENG 1st Test is turning out to be a thrilling affair. At the end of Day 3, England are batting at 316/6 with Ollie Pope (148) and Rehan Ahmed (16) at the crease. Ben Stokes led side has a lead of 126 runs. India, resuming the day at 421/7, were bowled out for 426. England batter Ollie Pope led England’s charge in the second innings with a fantastic century.
India came out to bat on 3rd day with plenty of optimism. Another 100 runs on India’s part would have definitely put the game beyond England’s reach. England captain Ben Stokes was well aware of the fact, and strategised accordingly.
The England bowlers picked up the remaining three wickets of India’s innings within just 15 runs as India took home a healthy lead of 190 runs.
England looked a lot more assured in their second innings than their first. The openers provided a strong start to the Three Lions. Zack Crawley was the first batter to depart in England’s second innings. The batter edged a pitched up ball from Ashwin to first slip.
Ben Duckett departed a after a 68-run partnership with Ollie Pope. Jasprit Bumrah cleaned Duckett up on a personal score of 47. Bumrah handed England a second blow a few overs later, with the speedster trapping Joe Root plumb in front of wicket. Jhonny Bairstow paid the price for a ill-judged judgement, with Ravindra Jadeja cleaning up the stumps. Ben Stokes looked unsettled and went back to the pavilion, with Ashwin taking Stokes’ wicket for a record 12th time.
While wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals from the other end, Ollie Pope stood strong. The batter scored a fantastic century in tough conditions, negotiating with the tricky Indian bowling with ease. Ben Foakes provided Pope with the much-needed support, with the duo stitching up a partnership of 112 runs.
Courtesy of the partnership, England were able to move past India’s score and ensure the Indians had to come out to bat in the fourth innings. The duo’s plan must have been to see out the day, but it was not to be. The Indians had a stroke of luck in the last session when a pitched-up delivery from Axar Patel kept low and rattled Foakes’ stumps. Foakes was at fault for his departure too, with the batter not getting anywhere close to the line of the ball.
Rehan Ahmed joined Pope in the middle and ensured England didn’t lose anymore wickets in the day. England’s healthy lead of 126 runs sets up a thrilling contest on the final two days, with the match there for the taking for both teams.
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