The second Test between India and England is currently a nail-biter with two days of play remaining. To level the series, India needs to take 9 more wickets; conversely, England needs another 332 runs to secure a win and a 2-0 lead. England closed Day 3 at 67/1 in their pursuit of 399 runs. The start was promising, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley (29*) scoring aggressively, while Rehan Ahmed (9*) held his ground as the night watchman.
The second Test of the five-match series between India and England is tantalizingly poised with two days remaining in the game. Team India still needs 9 wickets to secure a win and level the series. On the other hand, England needs 332 runs to clinch victory and take a 2-0 lead. England finished Day 3 at 67/1, chasing a massive target of 399. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley (29*) played their shots brilliantly to give England a fine start. Rehan Ahmed (9*) did his job well as a night watchman.
The day began in England's favor as veteran pacer James Anderson struck twice in quick succession. He first bowled out Rohit Sharma with a stunning delivery and then took the wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had been the star of the first innings with a double ton. Despite this early success, England's spinners couldn't capitalize, letting Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer build an 81-run partnership for the third wicket.
A vital 89-run stand between Gill and Axar Patel pushed India into a commanding spot. Gill's performance was a highlight for the fans, blending elegance and skill to notch his third Test century and break a slump lasting 12 innings. The momentum shifted when Shoaib Bashir dismissed Gill for 104, followed quickly by Axar, who contributed a solid 45. Ravichandran Ashwin added a final 29 runs to bring India's second innings total to 255. The bowling effort for England was led by Hartley, who took four wickets, and Ahmed, who claimed three.
Starting their reply, England's openers came out swinging, scoring rapidly at a rate of 4.78 runs per over. India finally found a breakthrough when Ashwin dismissed Duckett for 28. As Day 4 begins, the Indian bowling attack will need to be precise and versatile with their lengths to trigger an early collapse.