Dawid Malan was Ishant’s first victim and soon he ended the Bairstow threat by removing him from the strike.
India's captain Virat Kohli (L) looks towards the pavilion. (Photo: AFP)
Star Indian pacer Ishant Sharma on the third day of the opening Test match shined with the balls to put visitors in the driving seat. The five-match Test series between India and England kickstarted on Wednesday (1 August), and the first match of the series is being played at the Edgbaston, Birmingham.
On Friday (3 August), Keaton Jennings along with skipper Joe Root, resumed England’s innings. Spin Wizard Ravichandran strike early to remove Root and Jennings and soon the English batting collapsed. All-rounder Sam Curran was the only batsman from the hosts’ side who was able to counter Indian bowlers.
On Friday, spectators once again witnessed England’s batting line-up getting collapsed. Other than all-rounder Sam Curran, none of the hosts batsmen were able to reach the mark of 30 runs. Four English batters including openers Alastair Cook (0), Keaton Jennings (8), Ben Stokes (6), Jos Buttler (1) were not even to score 10 runs in the third innings of the first Test match.
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Baring Curran, wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow (28) and Dawid Malan (20) were the only players who were to able reach the mark of 20 runs.
On the third day, Ishant Sharma shined with the balls and ended the day with five wickets in his kitty. Ishant Sharma took five wickets and conceded 51 runs with an economy rate of 3.9.
Ishant Sharma single-handedly ruined England’s middle-order by removing four of their middle-order batters one after another.
English batsman Dawid Malan was Ishant’s first victim and soon he ended the Bairstow threat by removing him from the strike. All-rounder Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler too failed in stabilising hosts innings as they gifted their wicket to Ishant Sharma. English paceman Stuart Broad was Ishant’s last wicket.
The 20-year-old all-rounder, Sam Curran, fought a lone battle against Indian bowlers as England kept losing their wickets at regular interval. Curran on Friday smashed his maiden Test century.
If it would not have been Sam Curran’s heroics efforts, the hosts would have ended with a rather embarrassing total. Sam Curran kept hosts hopes alive with a fighting 63 runs off 65 deliveries.
After the hosts were bowled out at the mediocre score of 180 taking the lead of 193 runs. Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan opened Indian innings but soon gifted their wickets to Stuart Broad.
Chasing the below per average total of 193 runs, India lost half of their wickets before even reaching the mark of 100 runs. And once again, skipper Virat Kohli was seen struggling alone.
After Indian openers were sent back, KL Rahul along with Virat Kohli took charge of visitors innings but soon Rahul was removed and Ajinkya Rahane followed suit. Following Rahane’s dismissal, R Ashwin was promoted up the order but he too lost his wicket early.
On the third day of the opening Test, just like on the second day, Virat Kohli fought alone as the visitors lost five wickets in pursuit of 194 runs.
Till the end of the third day’s game, Virat Kohli was batting at 43. And if Indian hopes to win the first Test, it is necessary Virat should spend some time at the strike on the fourth day of the game.
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