Brook’s 99, England’s Decrease-Order Fightback Nullify Bumrah’s Fifer as Leeds Check Hangs in Steadiness

Regardless of Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery five-wicket haul, India discovered themselves unable to grab the higher hand on Day 3 of the primary Check at Headingley, as England’s lower-order resilience—led by a valiant 99 from Harry Brook—ensured the competition remained finely poised.

Resuming the day with a slender benefit, India would have hoped to wrap up the English innings swiftly. As an alternative, they have been met with dogged resistance. England’s final six wickets added an important 240 runs, dwarfing the 41 India had managed earlier, pushing the hosts to an imposing whole of 465. This left India with a meagre lead of six runs at first of their second innings.

India’s reply started beneath gray skies and a light-weight drizzle, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul strolling out in difficult situations. Jaiswal struck an early boundary however quickly departed, edging a Brydon Carse supply that moved away simply sufficient. Debutant Sai Sudharsan, having bagged a pair within the first innings, obtained off the mark with a assured boundary to 3rd man.

What adopted was a composed 66-run partnership between Rahul and Sudharsan that steadied India’s innings. Rahul, displaying each magnificence and grit, performed a collection of engaging drives and good rotations of strike. His cowl drives off Woakes and Tongue have been notably eye-catching, whereas Sudharsan grew in confidence, clipping and chopping his strategy to a promising begin.

A half-century stand was raised with Sudharsan incomes a life—dropped at backward level by Ben Duckett. Nonetheless, simply as he seemed set, Stokes trapped him with an inswinger, flicked straight to brief midwicket. Shubman Gill joined Rahul and made his intentions clear early, chopping Stokes over third man for 4 earlier than rain introduced an early near play with India at 90/2, holding a slender 96-run lead.

Earlier, England’s morning session was outlined by Harry Brook’s measured aggression and India’s missed alternatives within the discipline. Whereas Prasidh Krishna eliminated Ollie Pope early, Brook constructed essential stands—first with Ben Stokes after which with debutant Jamie Smith. The duo of Brook and Smith added 50 brisk runs, exposing India’s catching woes but once more. Rishabh Pant dropped Brook, whereas Sudharsan shelled a troublesome one at brief leg to provide Smith a life.

Brook introduced up his half-century and continued to assault even after the dismissal of Smith, finally reaching 99 with a six and a 4 in the identical Siraj over. However heartbreak adopted as he fell one wanting a century, top-edging a pull to deep sq. leg off Prasidh.

Even after Brook’s dismissal, England’s tail wagged defiantly. Woakes (36) and Carse (30) added a irritating 55-run partnership earlier than Bumrah returned to wash up the tail, dismissing Woakes and Josh Tongue to complete with figures of 5/83—his 14th five-wicket haul in Checks.

However the harm was achieved. England had erased the deficit and turned what seemed like a slim Indian benefit right into a near-even contest.

Rating Abstract:

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  India 471 & 90/2 (KL Rahul 47*, Sai Sudharsan 32; Ben Stokes 1/18)

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  England 465 (Ollie Pope 106, Harry Brook 99, Ben Duckett 62; Jasprit Bumrah 5/83, Prasidh Krishna 3/128)

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  India lead by 96 runs