The third Test took a dramatic shift towards the hosts on day three, with the hosts now leading by 322 runs and looking well-placed to take a decisive lead in the series
Rajkot (day three of five): India 445 & 196-2, England 319 - India are 322 runs ahead with eight second-innings wickets remaining
India have a vice-like grip on the third Test against England after dominating day three in Rajkot.
The hosts lead by 322 runs in their second innings after Ben Stokes' side collapsed to 319 all out in their first innings, losing their last eight wickets for 95 runs.
Ben Duckett moved to 153 but a middle and lower-order collapse, precipitated by Joe Root's dismissal via a reverse scoop for 18, leaves them firmly on the back foot.
Mohammed Siraj was the chief architect of their demise with 4 for 84 but Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 77) and Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 51) picked up prized wickets as India claimed a 126-run lead.
To compound their fate, Yashasvi Jaiswal (104) breezed to a second century of the series before retiring hurt while Shubman Gill added an unbeaten 65 in a second-wicket partnership worth 155. Still with XX Indian wickets to be taken, the current lead will require a record chase for a visiting team on these shores on a surface showing signs of uneven bounce and sharp spin.
Joe Root has just got out playing this shot 😩#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/KDd18laEfd
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) February 17, 2024
Reeling from the overnight news that Ravichandran Ashwin had withdrawn from the Test and bruised by an evening barrage led by Duckett, India would have been forgiven for fearing the worst ahead of day three.
But from the moment Root's reverse ramp found the hands of Jaiswal at second slip, marching off with England still 221 runs adrift of parity any anxiousness was quickly replaced by optimism.
Kuldeep then removed Jonny Bairstow (0) and Duckett as the tourists' attempts to rebuild before lunch suffered further disruption.
England had by this stage avoided the follow-on and with Stokes at the crease and Ben Foakes a more than able accomplice they had reason to believe the deficit to India's 445 could be cut.
But once again wickets fell in clumps. Indeed, the last five fell in the space of 6.2 overs; Stokes and Foakes (13) departed in successive balls to Jadeja and Siraj, Rehan Ahmed (6) and James Anderson (1) were removed by stinging yorkers by Siraj and Tom Hartley (9) was stumped by debutant Dhruv Jurel.
1⃣0⃣0⃣ for Yashasvi Jaiswal 🇮🇳#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/TC5KIbgZij
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) February 17, 2024
India had license to go on the offensive with such a heavy lead (they led by 190 and 143 after both sides had batted once in the first and second Test) but converted that ascendency with a devasting batting display from Jaiswal.
The 22-year-old, a double centurion in Visakhapatnam, lashed nine fours and five sixes to help push the advantage towards 300.
Though he did register a third Test hundred England did earn some restbite as he retired hurt with a back spasm, before Rajat Patidar was dismissed for a duck, but India will start day four holding all the cards.
The Cricketer's chief correspondent George Dobell will be providing full analysis and reaction from day two in Rajkot.
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