INDIA TOUR OF ENGLAND, 2025
KL Rahul enroute to 47 © Getty
Harry Brook’s 99 and valuable lower-order contributions meant India were not able to gain an advantage on Day 3 of the first Test in Leeds despite Jasprit Bumrah bagging a five-wicket haul. As many as 240 runs came from the last six England wickets in their first innings, as against 41 that India got earlier, as the hosts ended up with 465. With a marginal lead, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early in their second essay but a solid knock from KL Rahul (47*), with support from Sai Sudharsan in a 66-run stand, helped the visitors end the day at 90 for 2, leading by 96.
India’s second innings started in blustery conditions, with a slight drizzle also welcoming the openers. Jaiswal hit an early boundary, pulling Brydon Carse while Rahul nearly dragged a Chris Woakes delivery onto the stumps. He was, however, in control when he carved one through the off side and essayed an elegant cover drive for two fours off Woakes. But the opening stand did not last long as Jaiswal was dismissed when he edged a short of length delivery from Carse that moved away. Sudharsan, on a pair, got off the mark with a four to third-man in the same over.
The England pacers bowled probing lines but Rahul and Sudharsan were up to the task, building a good partnership. They were solid with their defence, played with soft hands, rotated the strike well and capitalised on the half-volleys as they ensured India kept moving along. The 10th over was an especially productive one for India as Rahul ran all four after playing a flick, followed by an on drive and a cover drive for two boundaries as the lead crossed 50. Rahul also struck fours in the first overs of Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir while Sudharsan pushed a Ben Stokes delivery to the off side boundary in his first over, having left deliveries sliding down the leg, with a leg-slip in place.
Shortly after the half-century stand was raised, Sudharsan got a reprieve, put down at backward point by Ben Duckett when he played a cut off Tongue. Having reached 40, Rahul played a classy cover drive for a four off Tongue while Sudharsan clipped Stokes for a boundary. But the flick shot later proved to be his undoing as Stokes, targetting the pads with the ball swinging in, had Sudharsan caught at short midwicket. Shubman Gill got going straightaway, playing a cut over thirdman for a four off Stokes and was unbeaten along with Rahul when the players left the field with rain picking up, leading to Stumps.
Earlier, in the first session, India bagged a couple of wickets and for a change, the bowler was not Bumrah. But England made steady progress, thanks to Brook’s half-century and his useful stands with Ben Stokes and Jamie Smith, as England scored 118 runs in the 28 overs bowled in the session. Prasidh picked up the wicket of centurion Ollie Pope after being hit for a four and a six by Brook. A half-century stand between Stokes and Brook ensued, before the England skipper poked at a Mohammed Siraj delivery outside off and edged it to the ‘keeper.
India’s catching, however, continued to let them down as it did the previous day. While Jadeja was finding some help from the pitch, he wasn’t supported enough on the field. Pant put down a catch off Brook, while Sudharsan, at short leg, couldn’t hold on to a tough chance to give Smith a reprieve. Brook went on to bring up his fifty and his partnership with Smith also crossed fifty leading into the Lunch break.
Prasidh operated with a short-ball ploy at the start of the second session, and was struck for a four and a six by Smith, while Brook entertained at the other end with some clever strokeplay. Eventually, the short ball did the trick as Prasidh had Smith caught in the deep, with Jadeja and Sudharsan collaborating for the catch next to the boundary. India took the second new ball as soon as it was available but Siraj proved expensive with Brook taking the attack to him. Bumrah could have picked up the wicket of Brook but Jaiswal put down a simple catch at gully. Brook then entered the 90s in style, smashing a six over long on off Siraj, followed by a four to end that over as England collected runs at a good rate.
Woakes gave good support to Brook as they added 49 at less than a run a ball. But the stand ended in a heartbreak as Brook, on 99, was coaxed into a pull from Prasidh and was caught in the deep. A 55-run stand between Woakes and Carse added to India’s frustrations as England narrowed the deficit. Siraj wasn’t bowling at his best while Prasidh was hit for two sixes in an over by Woakes. Siraj finally found some relief when Carse backed away to a yorker and was bowled. Bumrah had Woakes and Tongue bowled to bag the last two wickets to finish with his 14th fifer but England, by then, had already brought down the deficit to 6, negating any advantage India would have hoped for.
Brief scores: India 471 & 90/2 (KL Rahul 47*; Ben Stokes 1-18) lead England 465 (Ollie Pope 106, Harry Brook 99, Ben Duckett 62; Jasprit Bumrah 5-83, Prasidh Krishna 3-128) by 96 runs.
© Cricbuzz
