indian pacemaker Mohammed Siraj helped his team come back in the early hours of day 3 of the 3rd IND vs ENG test match. Siraj finished the innings with figures of 4/84 and became the most successful pacer at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Siraj tore off the English tail and picked up 3 of the last 4 wickets.
It was a bad start for England As in the space of just 18 runs, they lost two quick wickets in the form of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow to Indian bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. Root’s wicket proved to be the turning point of England’s first innings. The orthodox batsman played a ‘nothing’ shot against Bumrah and gave a catch to Yashasvi Jaiswal in the slips.
Mohammed Siraj weighs in on Joe Root’s dismissal
While attempting a reverse sweep to Jasprit Bumrah, Joe Root ended up skirting the ball, which flew towards Yashasvi Jaiswal. Wickets started falling from here and the three lions added less than 100 runs and finished with 319.
Speaking after the match, Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj felt that Joe Root’s shot should not be taken at that time. He added that if the partnership between Root and Ben Duckett had been extended on Day 3, it would have been difficult for the hosts to make a comeback.
Mohammed Siraj said: “Ben Duckett’s partnership with Root was growing, if he had played a bit more it would have been difficult for us. But he suddenly made that shot that didn’t look like it was going to be executed. But it turned out well for us and after that (Ben) Foakes and Ben Stokes had a good partnership, and then Stokes made a shot (that took him out) and we got into the game from there.”
England came back strongly on day 2 of the IND vs ENG third test match, in which they first beat India early while putting up a brilliant batting display and playing ‘bazball’. Ben Duckett smashed a brilliant hundred, in which he became the fastest English batsman to reach a century in India. England finished the day at 207/2 in 35 overs and almost scored at more than 5 runs per over.
Coming back to the match, India ended day 3 at 196/2, which sees Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav present in the crease. Gill is unbeaten on 65 runs while Kuldeep plays on 3 runs. The day belonged to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made her second 100-plus score of the series and smashed a brilliant ton. Before retiring injured for 104, he added 155 runs along with Shubman Gill for the second wicket.
India would aim to create a huge target for England in the second innings and win the match. The series is currently tied 1-1 and the team would try to gain an advantage in the series.
It would be difficult for the visitors to chase the target given in the second innings as the pitch may become more favorable for the Indian players on the 4th and 5th.