IND vs ENG Day 3: Ollie Pope's 148 powers England to 126-run lead, ENG 315/6

IND vs ENG Day 3: Ollie Pope was the star of Day 3 with an unbeaten 148. His knock helped England extend their lead to 126. Jasprit Bumrah provided two big breakthroughs dismissing Ben Duckett and Joe Root in quick succession post-lunch. Then, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin got the big wickets. But Ollie Pope nullified the advantage with his maiden century in India. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley set the stage with Bazballing after India crawled to a 15-run addition on Day 3. Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed for 87 while Axar Patel was bowled by Rehan Ahmed for 44.

IND vs ENG 1st Test Scorecard

Lunch: After two days of Indian dominance, England finally unleashed some “Bazball” in the form of aggressive sweeps and reverse sweeps by Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. This tactic unsettled the Indian spinners, particularly Ravichandran Ashwin, who was taken for runs. Even Axar and Jadeja struggled, forcing Rohit to bring back Ashwin, who eventually dismissed Crawley. However, Duckett continued the onslaught, inspiring Ollie Pope to play a more assured innings. England have reduced the deficit to 101 runs with 9 wickets in hand. Expect India to adjust their bowling strategy during the break, while England will aim to stay positive and aggressive. Get ready for an exciting second session starting at 12:10 pm!

IND vs ENG: Recap

Day 3 of the first Test in Hyderabad promises to be a nail-biter as India, riding a wave of batting brilliance, closes in on victory, leaving England with a mountain to climb. Spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja stands on the cusp of a century, unbeaten on 81, while Axar Patel provides sturdy support at the other end. Their unbeaten partnership of 63 has pushed India’s lead to a commanding 175 runs.

Friday belonged to Indian batters, who feasted on a wayward English bowling attack. Five partnerships crossed the 50-run mark, showcasing the depth and resilience of the Indian batting lineup. Jadeja and Axar were as destructive as any, bludgeoning boundaries and frustrating English bowlers with their impeccable shot selection.

England’s woes were compounded by their exhausted spin attack. Jack Leach, their most experienced spinner, suffered a knee injury early on, limiting him to just 16 overs. Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley, thrown into the deep end, struggled to contain the Indian onslaught. Even Joe Root, bowling part-time, looked England’s best bowler with two wickets and impressive consistency.

INDIA vs ENGLAND 1st Test: Missed chances

But luck wasn’t entirely on England’s side. Missed reviews early on left them depleted, and dropped catches gifted vital lifelines to Indian batsmen. KL Rahul, who reached 86 before holing out, was particularly fortunate after Ben Foakes put down a tough chance off Root.

Despite Rahul’s missed ton, India’s batting depth shone through. Shreyas Iyer and KS Bharat contributed valuable partnerships, with Bharat showcasing his wicketkeeping prowess before a well-played 41.

The stage is now set for an enthralling final two days. Can Jadeja convert his half-century into a match-winning ton and extend India’s lead? Can England exploit the exposed tail and stage a remarkable comeback? With the bowlers expected to play a bigger role on a deteriorating pitch, Day 3 promises a day of nail-biting cricket that could swing either way.