Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli scored his 23rd Test century as the team took a lead of over 500 runs at the end of Day Three’s game on Monday in the third Test match of the ongoing series. After a batting debacle in the first two matches, for the first time, the ICC table topper are seen in a dominating position.
Here are five talking points from Day Three:
India batters finally step up
The one major difference between the first two Test matches that India lost and the ongoing Test match is that the Indian batters have finally stepped up and scored. In the first innings, vice-captain Ajnkya Rahane scored a magnificent half-century, giving his skipper Virat Kohli much needed support from the other end.
In the second innings, Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara put up a brilliant batting display by scoring fighting 72 off 208 balls. India’s upper order batsman Shikhar Dhawan also stood up and scored 80 runs.
Virat Kohli
Indian skipper Virat Kohli is at such a stage of his life with every run he is either breaking a record or making one. On Monday, the 29-year-old captain scored his 23rd Test century and in the process become joint fourth Indian along with Virender Sehwag on the list of leading century-makers. Now, Virat Kohli is only behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Rahul Dravid (36) and Sunil Gavaskar (34).
In the ongoing Test series, Virat Kohli’s average is over 70 runs — better than every player who is playing in this series. He has scored two centuries and two half-centuries in six innings.
Hardik Pandya steals the show
Before the start of the third Test match, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was heavily criticised by cricket experts for his performance. Former West Indies great Michael Holding too took a dig at Pandya, saying “he is nowhere near Kapil Dev”.
However, it seems Hardik Pandya had found a perfect way to shut his critics down. In England’s first innings, Hardik Pandya was the most dominating bowler claiming five wickets and now he has followed his performance with a quick-fire half-century in the third innings.
Sam Curran — the costliest drop by England
Before the start of the third Test, England was in the driving seat in ongoing Test series. With a series lead of 2-0, they had three brilliant all-rounders (Sam Curran, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes) to pick up from. And English skipper Joe Root picked Ben Stokes over Sam Curran, and it seems it is the costliest drop by England so far.
Joe Root’s decision to play Ben Stokes ahead of Sam Curran is proving to be a blunder. Sam Curran had won the Man of the Match award in the first Test and was instrumental in England’s win in the match. Curran’s quick-fire half-century in the second innings made all the difference between the two sides.
Though Curran was playing the second Test match of his carrier, his mature and calculated partnerships with tail-enders gave England the sniff, which was turned into a golden opportunity by their pacers. Curran was brilliant with the bat as well as with the bowl. In the first Test match, every time a partnership by opposition team was blossoming, Sam was Joe Root’s go-to man. Curran also brought variety to the English attack with his left-arm medium pace, and that’s what England missed the most in the third Test.
The Trent Bridge pitch
On the Trent Bridge pitch, 800 runs have been scored by both the teams so far in just three days, and the way Indian batters batted it seems they were not having any problem facing the world class seam attack.
On the first day of the third Test match, there was green top and the pitch looked a much better bowling. Yet, the Indian side scored 307 runs on Day One with both Indian skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane scoring half-centuries.
The condition of Trent Bridge has left viewers confused if the hot English summer is finally starting to have an effect on the pitch or is it just incredible batting by India.