Rajkot: Though captain Rohit Sharma fell cheaply, India were able to extend their lead to 170 runs after Mohammed Siraj’s four-fer bowled out England for 319 in second session of day three in the third Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Saturday.
Fuelled by Siraj’s 4-84, India took the remaining five wickets for just 29 runs to take a 126-run first-innings lead over England. Despite losing Rohit to Joe Root, Yashasvi Jaiswal (19 not out) and Shubman Gill (five not out) helped India move to 44/1 in 16 overs of their second innings at tea.
Rohit began by taking two boundaries from James Anderson’s first over, while a sedate Jaiswal survived an lbw call off Tom Hartley. Sharma tried to sweep Root, but was beaten in the air to be trapped lbw. England took the review and got the not out decision from umpire Joel Wilson reversed in their favour, as Rohit walked back to the pavilion.
Gill got going by lofting Root over mid-wicket for four, while Jaiswal ended the session driving the part-time spinner past extra cover for a boundary to end a steady session for India.
Previously, Ravichandran Ashwin’s overnight withdrawal from the match because of a family medical emergency meant India were one frontline bowler short ahead of day three. But others stepped up, with Siraj taking 4-84, especially fuelled by a strong spell after lunch.
Kuldeep impressed in the morning with his pace, turn and variations to take two scalps while Jadeja also picked two wickets and Jasprit Bumrah triggered the collapse by taking out Joe Root as England lost their remaining eight wickets for just 95 runs, giving India the momentum in the match, which wasn’t a realistic possibility in the morning.
Post lunch, Jadeja struck as Stokes went for the slog-sweep, but didn’t time it well and was caught by Bumrah running in from long-on. One brought two as Foakes tried to whip a slower ball from Siraj which stopped on him and took the edge to mid-on.
Siraj then cleaned up Rehan Ahmed with an immaculate yorker hitting the base of off-stump, while Jadeja had Tom Hartley stumped easily by debutant keeper Dhruv Jurel. Siraj ended India’s innings by ratting James Anderson’s off-stump to pick his best Test figures at home.
It meant India got an opportunity to leg-up in the match, thanks to England squandering their chance, as they conceded a first-innings deficit for third straight time in the ongoing series.
Brief Scores: India 445 and 44/1 in 16 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 19; Joe Root 1-19) lead England 319 in 71.1 overs (Ben Duckett 153, Ben Stokes 41; Mohammed Siraj 4-84, Ravindra Jadeja 2-51) by 170 runs
–IANS