Day 3 of the first Test between India and England at Headingley is poised to be a crucial one, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the Indian attack, aiming to exploit the conditions and pick up early wickets. At the end of Day 2, England were 209/3, trailing India by 262 runs.
India had a strong start to the Test, posting 471 in their first innings, powered by Shubman Gill's impressive 147, becoming only the fourth Indian captain to score a century in his maiden Test innings as skipper. Rishabh Pant also contributed with a century, scoring 134, marking his seventh Test century, surpassing MS Dhoni's tally to become the Indian wicketkeeper with the most Test centuries. However, India's batting collapsed, losing 7 wickets for just 41 runs, which allowed England to gain the upper hand.
England's innings saw Ollie Pope scoring a century, finishing the day unbeaten on 100. Ben Duckett scored 62, forming a 124-run stand with Pope. However, Jasprit Bumrah was the standout performer for India, taking three crucial wickets, including Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Joe Root. Bumrah's performance was not just about the wickets; it was about the pressure he created. Every ball he bowled seemed like an event, with opportunities for wickets in almost every over.
Bumrah's stellar performance also saw him surpass Pakistan legend Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taking Asian bowler in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia), with 147 Test wickets. Akram previously held the record with 146 wickets.
Despite Bumrah's efforts, the other Indian bowlers struggled to capitalize on the pressure he created. Mohammed Siraj's first spell was expensive, while Prasidh Krishna also leaked runs. A dropped catch by Ravindra Jadeja and a no-ball that gave Harry Brook a lifeline further added to India's woes.
England opener Ben Duckett praised Bumrah, calling him the "best bowler in the world". Duckett highlighted Bumrah's ability to perform well in all conditions and the importance of putting him under pressure and scoring off bad deliveries.
As Day 3 begins, India will be looking for early breakthroughs to regain control of the match. Bumrah will be key, and he needs support from the other bowlers to maintain pressure on the English batsmen. England, on the other hand, will aim to build on their strong finish to Day 2 and reduce the deficit. Ollie Pope and Harry Brook will be crucial to their efforts.
The match is finely poised, and a strong performance on Day 3 could be decisive. A lead of even 80-100 runs could be gold for India. For England, a long batting day could shift the match in their favor heading into Day 4.
