KL Rahul anchored the innings with a composed 53 off 113 deliveries, guiding India to 145 for 3 at stumps on day two of the third Test. India now trail England by 242 runs heading into day three.
Earlier in the day, England, who showed resilience with the bat, particularly through the efforts of Joe Root, Jamie Smith, and Brydon Carse, were bundled out for 387 runs.
Root, who completed his 37th Test century early in the morning session, top scored with 104 runs. Smith continued his fine form, while lower-order batter Carse displayed commendable grit, scoring a valuable 56 runs off 83 deliveries to push England towards a respectable total.
Captain Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope both chipped in with useful contributions of 44 runs each. Though neither could convert their starts into a big score, their partnerships helped England recover from early pressure and consolidate their position during the first half of the innings. Despite a relatively slow scoring rate, England inched close to the 400-run mark, which looked unlikely at one stage.
The standout performer with the ball for India was Jasprit Bumrah. The pace spearhead produced a masterclass in seam bowling, finishing with a five-wicket haul, his 13th in Test matches away from home. Bumrah`s spell in the first hour of the morning session changed the course of the innings. He dismissed key players in quick succession, including Stokes, Root, and all-rounder Chris Woakes.
Stokes was undone by a sharp delivery that nipped back and knocked over his off stump. Soon after, Root, who had just reached his century, inside-edged a Bumrah delivery onto his stumps. Woakes fell the very next ball, edging behind to the keeper, and though the on-field umpire was unmoved, India reviewed successfully. Bumrah later returned in the second session to clean up Jofra Archer, sealing his five-wicket haul with a searing yorker.
Apart from Bumrah’s brilliance, India’s bowling unit offered solid support. Young pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed with his control and discipline, picking up two wickets. Mohammed Siraj also struck twice, helping India wrap up the tail after England threatened to stretch their total further. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja claimed one wicket, operating in a holding role for most of the innings.
