Twitter Reactions: Team India in cruise control of the 3rd Test with a 300-lead and 8 wickets in hand
The Indian team started day 2 on 307/6 and concluded it on 124/2 and what happened in between those 77 overs has effectively shaped the fortunes of the Test match.
Team India started day 2 on 307/6 and concluded it on 124/2 and what happened in between those 77 overs has effectively shaped the fortunes of the Test match. Rishabh Pant couldn’t continue for longer than 24 runs and once he was dismissed, they added just 6 runs before being bowled out on 329. When England walked out to bat the pitch and conditions assisted swing bowling and the Indians made the best use of it to bowl the hosts out for 161 and take a 168-run first innings lead.
Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings had a fifty-run partnership and batting looked easy. The Indian new-ball bowlers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah needed their first spell to understand the sort of line and length they should be bowling. It was Ishant Sharma who took the ball after the interval and got Cook to edge one when he was on 29, the very next ball of the innings that Bumrah bowled, Jennings nicked a really wide delivery once again to Pant.
Ishant didn’t let County star, Ollie Pope settle in and accounted for him when England were on 75. Hardik Pandya who came into the attack early since Ravichandran Ashwin had trouble with his hip and couldn’t continue after his first over changed the complexion of the game with just one spell. The same bowler who was criticised by legends like Michael Holding and questioned about his contribution for the team picked up five wickets in just 6 overs.
Pandya was on the money with the first ball and dismissed Joe Root and he stopped only with the wicket of Adil Rashid which helped him attain his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The way he swung the ball surprised most and English batsmen hardly had a clue.
When Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul walked out to bat for the second time, there was a positive intent in their game. All the shots they played had a lot of authority, they batted like a team that had a big lead behind their back. Though towards the end of the day they lost both of them a lead of 292 with 8 wickets in hand definitely places them well ahead in the contest.
Here is how Twitterati reacted to the Indian team’s strong performance:
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