While many would have thought How Bazball could work on spin friendly wickets in India and speculated after second day’s play that England wont survive another innings from Indian spin trio, England’s Vice captain Ollie Pope on Day 3 proved it all wrong with a masterful and gritty century 148 not out to give England a 121 run lead over India with 4 wickets in hand going into Day 4 of an interesting test match.
With Team India hoping to bundle out England for a win on 3rd day itself, Ollie Pope scored a gritty fifth Test hundred, and added 112 runs for the sixth wicket with Ben Foakes to keep England going on an engrossing third day in Hyderabad . Indian bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, had the visitors on the mat at 172 for 5 at Tea.
Ollie Pope however, set them on a recovery path, ending the day having steered England ahead by 126 runs. Pope’s 148*, incidentally, is the highest score by a visiting batter in the second innings vs India in India since Alastair Cook’s 176 in Ahmedabad in 2012 – the first Test of India’s last series defeat at home.
Morning Session – 26 0vers 104 runs 4 wickets Joe Roots 4-fer keeps India’s lead to 190 runs England replies strongly with 89 for 1 in 15 overs Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett looking solid on Indian spinners. England trail by 101 runs
In an England XI with three frontline spinners, Joe Root emerged as the best bowler for the visitors as he bagged four to help bowl India out for 436. Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t push ahead to get to three-figures but the home side took a healthy 190-run lead. Ravichandran Ashwin then stopped Zak Crawley in his tracks, but Ben Duckett kept England’s free-scoring start going as they went to Lunch at 89/1 in just 15 overs.
At one stage in the first hour of play, Root had six fielders around the bat, bowling to India’s no. 11 Mohammed Siraj and gunning for a hat-trick. That situation came about after he denied Ravindra Jadeja a three-figure score by trapping him leg before on 87. Both Jadeja and Axar Patel had made a cautious start to the day in their quest to swell India’s lead, with Root challenging the outside edge against both the left-handers.
On the wicket ball, he got the umpire to rule in his favour as Jadeja looked to defend on the front foot and missed the line. The Indian batter reviewed the call, only to be sent packing on the basis of umpire’s call. One freeze frame on the ultra edge had the ball right between bat and pad, but the third umpire couldn’t determine what the ball hit first.
Jasprit Bumrah got a gem first up – an off-spinner’s delight from round the stumps that pitched on off and turned in to go past the big bat-pad gap and crash onto the stumps. Siraj denied the “part-timer” a hat-trick and fifer, but Rehan Ahmed cleaned up Axar shortly with a ball that spun and kept low – signaling ominous signs for what could be ahead for the England batters against India’s spinners.
Rohit Sharma brought in Ashwin in the second over, and Crawley responded by bringing out the reverse sweep. He took his proactiveness out on Axar Patel, who too bowled early in the innings and went for runs. Crawley gave him the charge and unfurled the reverse sweep too, as England flew in the second innings.
Ashwin tried different variations – bowled quicker and fuller to negate the urge to sweep, switched sides from round to over and back to round before getting the better of the opener in the 10th over. Ashwin pulled his length a touch back and bowled slower to lure Crawley to nick one to Rohit Sharma at first slip. The England opener perhaps defended forward in anticipation of more turn but the ball straightened a little and went off the outside edge.
The wicket didn’t change the tune of England’s innings as Ollie Pope joined Duckett and wiped out nearly half of India’s lead by the end of the session.
TEA Session – 26 overs 83 runs 4 wickets Jasprit Bumrah’s immaculate spell of reverse swing brings England to floor as they trail India’s lead by 18 runs with ollie pope 67* raging a lone battle.
England were forced to go back on their caution-to-the-winds batting approach as India pulled things back after being taken for a lot of runs in the second half of the morning session on Day 3. At Tea, England were five down and in trouble courtesy some exceptional bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. The trio combined to pick four wickets as England limped to 172 for 5 at Tea, still trailing by 18 runs.
England’s high-flying wings were clipped expertly by a stirring spell of fast bowling from Bumrah early in the session. Jasprit Bumrah looked lethal and for the first time in the test match where spin was suppose to take the centerstage fast bowling display at its best took centerstage in the afternoon at Hyderabad enthralling 25000 spectators in the ground.
It took Jasprit Bumrah just an over to flip the agony of not reviewing an LBW call that would’ve overturned in his favour against Ben Duckett as he sent the batter’s off-stump cartwheeling with a length ball that came into the left-hander with the round-the-stumps angle.
The England batters found life hard against the fast bowler, who followed up a venomous yorker at 140kmph with deceptive change of pace, dropping as much as 20kmph. He made the big dent into England’s essay with the wicket of Joe Root with a similar ball from round the stumps that trapped the former captain leg before.
Root took a review back with him. Jonny Bairstow faced him with a slightly open stance and dealt with the full balls angled into him rather well for the rest of his spell. Bairstow weathered that storm but was then flummoxed by Ravindra Jadeja’s trickery. After getting one ball to turn away sharply and beat Bairstow’s outside edge, Jadeja got one to go with the angle. Bairstow anticipated similar turn as the previous delivery and offered judgement, only for the ball to hit the off-stump
Ollie Pope meanwhile brought up a brisk half-century but the complexion of England’s reply and way of playing began to change color from Bazball to proper test cricket. Ben Stokes dug in – particularly against Ashwin – for 32 balls but the 33rd he faced, from the off-spinner, came with his name on it. Ashwin got dip, flight and turn on a full ball that brought Stokes forward to defend, and spun past his outside edge to hit the stumps.
With this, Ashwin dismissed Stokes for the 12th time in Tests – no batter has ever been dismissed more times by the off-spinner (David Warner is next on this list at 11 times).India didn’t just pick the four wickets, but also managed to keep England’s run-scoring on a tight leash. The visitors, known to smash their way out of tight situations, were denied a boundary for the last 64 balls of the session.
Tea on Day 3 and this Test has burst into life. Whatever India spoke at lunch, they’ve come back and got themselves back on top of the Test. 83 runs scored, but England lost 4 big wickets, including their skipper. Bumrah sprang life back into the Indian bowling unit with a fiery burst after lunch – denied a LBW call, he sent Duckett’s off-stump cart-wheeling with a wicked inswinger and followed it up by trapping Root right in front.
Ollie Pope continued to remain positive, Bairstow found a way to see-off Bumrah, but a moment of indecision saw him lose his wicket, castled by Jadeja. Stokes looked comfortable and it needed a slice of magic from Ashwin to send him on his way. Pope though remained unscathed and England’s hopes lying with him as they’re still trailing by 18 runs and have 5 wickets in hand.
POST TEA SESSION 35 OVERS 144 Runs 1 wicket Ollie Pope’s masterclass 148*and England’s Bazball approach versus Indian bowlers gives England healthy 126 runs lead over Team India as the game moves to exciting Day 4.
India resume with Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja in the attack post tea. Axar provides a half-volley to help England get their first boundary in 71 balls. Still 13 behind. Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes carried England past 190 which meant India had to bat again to win this test match in the second innings . With 5 wickets in hand it remains to see now What target does England set for India which would aid their inexperience bowling line up.
Before Tea session, Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes were tied down before tea, but they have batted out nearly 50 minutes after tea rather comfortably. In doing so, they have added 50 for the sixth wicket. India have tried all five bowlers in the session after tea. Pope is nearing a hundred, and England lead are effectively 28 for 5 wickets in hand.
A fantastic innings from Ollie Pope, the first hundred of this match, his first in India. Any time you score a hundred in India against Ashwin, Jadeja, Bumrah, Siraj and Axar, you can be proud of it. To do so starting 190 behind in the second innings is even better. He has been excellent with the sweeps, all kinds. Paddle, powerful, reverse, reverse paddle, reverse in front of square. Against Ashwin he has scored 40 off 39. It has forced Ashwin to bowl too full. England are now 55 ahead. The pitch is slow, the ball soft. England can mount a challenge yet.
Ollie Pope continues reverse-sweeping every time a bowler looks like he is getting into rhythm. The first one off Ravindra Jadeja, he nails it and gets four. On the next one, he gets a top edge, which Axar Patel has dropped at backward point. Followed by a punched boundary and a ginger chase from Ashwin. England lead by 73, which means these two have now added 100 for the sixth wicket. The new ball is more than 15 overs away.
Axar Patel finally breaks through for India with one that stays low and squeezes past Ben Foakes’ bat, who fought hard for his 34 off 81 in a partnership of 112 with Ollie Pope. England are 85 for 6 effectively. Thirteen overs to the new ball.
Essentially Dilscoop is a ramp shot, but a specific variety of the ramp shot where you put your head down and ramp the ball straight over your head. In the 70th over of the innings, Ollie Pope has gone a step ahead and played the reverse Dilscoop from just outside leg and straight over the keeper’s head for four. His commitment to sweeping and reverse-sweeping has been superb after he got out playing a defensive shot in the first innings. Into the last seven overs of the day, and England’s lead is part 100.
And it is a significant milestone. This is the first time in 12 years, since they themselves did so in Nagpur, that a side has got to 300 in the second innings in India. The lead was now 110 and Pope still battling England’s hope to wage a fight.
An exceptional day for England. When we began the day, we were questioning if there would be a day four. Now there will be a tussle on day four. Ollie Pope’s unbeaten 148 has led them to 316 for 6, the first time a visiting team has scored 300 in the second innings in India since Nagpur 2012. The new ball is two overs away, and India will hope for some magic with it come tomorrow. Whatever happens tomorrow, England have announced themselves and said they won’t meekly roll over.
Day 4 Exciting and most probably the final day of Test Match.
Day 3 and this has been a masterclass from Ollie Pope which has kept his team in the hunt. The lead is 126 and they’ll start to believe if they can take this to anywhere around 160-170. He gets handshakes from the Indians as he walks away, a standing ovation from his mates and it is his innings which has taken this Test into the fourth day. Could India have done better?
Yes, England applied themselves well, the pitch slowed down further, the ball became soft as it grew old, but the Indian trio of spinners were put away by a series of sweeps and reverse sweeps, starting from Duckett and Crawley, and carried forward by Ollie Pope. The diminutive right-hander played a sublime knock, full of positive strokes and threw the bowlers off their lengths.
Aiding him was Ben Foakes, the pair adding 112 for the 6th wicket. He was dropped on 110 by Axar Patel and he’s already made India pay. How much will be too much for India? For starters, they still need to take 4 more wickets, but they do have the second new ball coming up shortly. This does look like a new-ball pitch and the match could be decided there and India would hope that like it did for Joe Root in the morning session remaining four wickets of England falls in a frenzy.