Vizag, India

England look comfortable in the 399-run chase in the second Test in Vizag, with their scorecard reading 67 for one after stumps on day three. Earlier, India batter Shubman Gill hogged all the limelight with his third Test hundred as India posted 255 in the second innings. England’s Tom Hartley again starred with the ball in hand, picking four wickets, while young Rehan Ahmed returned with three to his name.

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Day three began with India losing both openers to James Anderson. While the veteran seamer clean bowled Rohit off a jaffa, he got Jaiswal edged and caught in the slip cordon. 

Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer - two underfire batters in the lineup, made the most of their chances, adding 81 for the third wicket. Stokes and Hartley accounted for Iyer before Rehan picked debutant Rajat Patidar on nine, breaking India’s momentum.

Meanwhile, batting alongside Axar Patel, Gill approached his first hundred across formats this year and completed the three-digit score soon after lunch.

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Bashir removed him on 104, and England tore into India’s lower order to remove all recognised batters. 

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While some resistance from Ravi Ashwin helped India add a few more to the tally, the spin duo of Rehan and Hartley wrapped up India’s second innings on 255, setting England the record target of 399 runs to win.

Crawley keeps England alive in the chase

Having scored 76 in the first innings, England opener Zak Crawley looked in sublime touch and, with Ben Duckett on the other side, added 50 for the first wicket. Though Bumrah and Kuldeep kept it tight, Duckett and Crawley targeted Mukesh, who conceded 19 runs in his two overs. 

Seasoned campaigner Ravi Ashwin removed Duckett in his first over, while the nightwatchman Rehan Ahmed survived early scares, adding nine before umpires called it a day.

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With England leading this five-match series 1-0 and how they have backed the Bazball approach from the beginning, they will enter day four in Vizag oozing with confidence. 

Meanwhile, the Bumrah-led bowling attack will aim to wrap the proceedings as early as possible to win the match and level the series.