After being dominated for the first two sessions, the Indian team bounced back in style in the third session of Day Three of the second Test match against England at Lord's. Ishant Sharma's two quick wickets brought India back in the game, with England's first innings ending on the last ball of the third day at 391/10. The hosts lead India by 27 runs.
England skipper Joe Root, the last man standing, missed out on a well-deserved double hundred, remaining unbeaten on 180.
After a slow and cautious start to the final session by the England batsmen, it was Ishant Sharma who brought India back in the game with two wickets in two balls. Moeen Ali, struggling at the crease for a while, edged Sharma's outswinger to India captain Virat Kohli in the slips, who managed to hold on to the low catch with his fingers just under the ball. Moeen started walking, but the umpires asked him to stop and went to the third umpire to check if it was a clean catch. The third umpire was happy with the catch, declaring it clean, and Ali was off.
In walked Sam Curran only to walk back a few seconds later. It was a superb delivery by Ishant, a fourth stump line. Curran had no option but to play, and the ball went straight into the safe hands of Rohit Sharma in the slips.
Now, full of energy and vigour after the two quick wickets, the Indian captain brought back Siraj to have a go at the tail, and the bowler did not disappoint. His over saw three leg-before appeals, with the bowler imploring his captain to review the last one. However, Kohli just answered with a smile to the delight of the crowd and dismay of Siraj.
But Siraj didn't have to wait for long. In his very next over, he trapped Robinson in front, who decided to review it. The ball-tracking showed 'umpire's call', with the ball just kissing the outside of the leg stump. In the end, the close decision went in Siraj's favour.
If Robinson got unlucky, Root got lucky. Siraj again got the ball to nip-in, which hit Root's pad first and was in line as well, but the umpire thought otherwise. This time a confident Kohli took the review. However, the video replay showed 'umpire's call' on the top of the middle stump and Root survived.
Soon, Root started running out of partners. Mark Wood sacrificed his wicket after being involved in a messy run-out. Then, as Anderson walked in, Root had no option but to go into T20 mode. He hit Siraj for two boundaries on the trot, first a reverse paddle sweep over the slips and then hammered the next ball to deep square leg.
Bumrah, having bowled several no-balls in the day, started having a go at Anderson, bowling short and straight. Anderson showed courage and survived the challenge. Shami, given the last over of the day, uprooted Anderson's off stump on the last ball of day three.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)