Opener KL Rahul scored a century while Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant pitched in with crucial fifties as India posted 387 on day three, equalling England’s first innings, with their third test hanging in the balance at Lord’s on Saturday.
An injury to Shoaib Bashir blunted England’s pace-spin attack strategy when India looked vulnerable with five wickets down after losing Pant and Rahul in quick succession, before Jadeja steadied their innings with his third fifty-plus knock in a row.
England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett played a single over before stumps, remaining unbeaten at 2-0 as the five-match series remains tied with both sides looking to go 2-1 up with a win.
“Pretty even. You toil away for three days and you sit here with a two-run lead. Looking forward to a two-day shoot-out,” England bowling coach Tim Southee told the BBC.
India started well from an overnight score of 145-3 with Rahul accompanied by left-handed batter Pant, who scored twin centuries in the first test, battled through an injured finger on his left hand as he hooked England captain Stokes for six to bring up his fifty.
The two added 141 runs for the fourth wicket before Pant was run out for 74 on the last ball before lunch as he played Bashir towards cover point, where Stokes made a quick turn to hit the stumps on the non-striker’s end with a swift, direct throw.
Rahul was the next to fall, edging Bashir’s flighted ball to Harry Brook in the slip on his very next ball after reaching 100, leaving India on shaky ground at 254-5 under a warm London sun.
But Bashir had to leave the ground when he injured a finger on his non-bowling left hand while attempting a low catch from his own delivery as Jadeja shot down the wicket. Commentators later said the 21-year-old might need extra treatment in the evening.
JADEJA STEERS THE SHIP
Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy, new to the crease, looked unsteady as England’s bowlers piled on the pressure. Mix-ups between the batters put Reddy at risk of getting run out on two occasions but Ollie Pope’s direct throws missed the target both times.
However, as England returned to using two pacers soon after Bashir’s injury, the pair put together a 72-run partnership before Stokes claimed his second wicket of the match, getting Reddy to nick it to keeper Jamie Smith for 30.
But Jadeja kept the runs flowing, scoring his third fifty-plus knock in a row, while Washington Sundar adopted a slow, cautious approach on the other end.
Their 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket got India within 11 runs of England’s total, before Chris Woakes dismissed Jadeja for 72 as the batter’s attempt to send the ball down fine leg only took a thin edge and landed in Smith’s gloves.
Akash Deep, in at number nine, was given out leg before wicket twice by umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat during the same over but Hawk-Eye showed the ball was missing the stumps when the batter reviewed them, overturning both decisions.
But Deep fell soon after to Brydon Carse for seven, with Brook trapping him at third slip with a low dive.
Sundar brought the scores level before falling to Jofra Archer for 23, bringing an end to India’s innings.
Crawley and Duckett, batting shortly before stumps, got into arguments with Indian fielders over delays. India captain Shubman Gill clapped for Crawley when he called for the physio to check his injury after the ball hit his glove.
Duckett shared some words with Gill as the batters saw out the over from Jasprit Bumrah, leaving the feisty contest finely poised going into the final two days.
“He’ll be assessed overnight. Hopefully he’ll be good to go tomorrow,” Southee told reporters about Crawley’s finger injury. “Shubman Gill was lying down having a massage yesterday.”
(Reuters)
