Hyderabad: In a dramatic turnaround on the third day of the Test match in Hyderabad, England converted a first-innings deficit of 190 into a lead of 126 with four wickets in hand. Ollie Pope’s outstanding unbeaten 148 played a pivotal role in England’s resurgence.
Pope’s innings was characterized by his adept use of the sweep, particularly the reverse-sweep, against the Indian spinners. England scored 79 runs with variants of the sweep without losing a wicket to it, and Pope alone contributed 41 of those runs. The visitors became the first team since Nagpur 2012-13 to score 300 against India in a second innings in India.
Jasprit Bumrah emerged as India’s key bowler on a day-three surface, finishing with figures of 12-3-29-2. He dismissed crucial wickets of Ben Duckett and Joe Root, providing some resistance to England’s aggressive batting.
Post-lunch, Bumrah’s spell saw reverse-swing bowling, but India missed an opportunity with a non-review of a close lbw shout against Duckett. While he eventually bowled Duckett, the aggressive approach of England’s batsmen troubled the Indian bowlers.
In the final session, Ollie Pope partnered with Ben Foakes to steer England ahead by 126 runs. Pope’s gritty innings, including his fifth Test hundred, kept England in the game, ending the day on a positive note.
England, however, faces a challenging Day 4, and their defiance will be crucial if they aim to secure an advantage in this fixture.
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