Ind vs Eng, third Test, Day 2 as it happened: Root’s brilliant 121 puts England firmly in charge
England ended Day 1 firmly in charge but will India be able to fight back on Day 2?
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Eng 423/8 after 129 overs: Strange review by India to end the day. Huge inside edge. Ishant wanted to review it. Kohli obliged. Well, in a way, it sums up the day. England needed to bat through the day and put up some good runs and they did exactly that.
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Eng 418/8 after 127.1 overs: WICKET! Fielders in the deep and Curran (15) still went for the hook shot. To India’s delight he picked out one of the fielders – Mayank Agarwal, who is on the field as a substitute fielder. England lead by 340 runs
At the time of his dismissal, Joe Root had scored 30.9% of England's Test match runs off the bat in 2021. #ENGvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 411/7 after 126 overs: Curran and Overton have put on 27 runs to extend the lead to 333 runs. They are both looking pretty decent.
Another day and another outstanding 100 from @root66 . What a splendid 2021 it has been for him with 6 test centuries, including 3 in successive test matches this series.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) August 26, 2021
He has stamped his authority and England are in a formidable position in this Test Match. #3rdTest pic.twitter.com/oZ7RmaBbAA
Eng 383/7 after 118.4 overs: WICKET! Moeen hits that straight to mid-on. Jadeja and India get another wicket. He hit it well but picked out Axar Patel. England lead by 305 runs.
Eng 383/6 after 117.2 overs: BOWLED! Root walking back after being bowled by Bumrah. A terrific delivery, nipped back between bat and pad. 121 off 165. The England skipper has done the job for his team once again. A simply brilliant knock.
Eng 378/5 after 116 overs: England lead by 300 runs. The focus is now simply on how long England want to bat on. There is still a lot of time left in the match. Root is on 116 and Moeen Ali is giving him company on 8.
Eng 360/5 after 107 overs: WICKET! Buttler throws it away. Shami gets another one but this time the batsman gave him a helping hand. Picked out the fielder. He is such a nervous starter. Kohli, meanwhile, is laughing again.
Shami has been the pick of the Indian bowlers with the second new ball. He has hit a good line and length with 57% of his deliveries - higher than any other bowler. #ENGvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 349/4 after 107 overs: WICKET! Kohli takes a good low catch in the slips to send back Bairstow (29 off 43). Shami the bowler. Kohli, at first slip, kept his eyes on the ball even as Pant dived across. India needed this.
Eng 349/3 after 107 overs: Bairstow starting to open his shoulders now. He clubs Jadeja for a six and if India aren’t careful, this could get ugly (that is if this isn’t already it). Another four to end the over. England lead by 271 runs.
#ENGvIND
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 26, 2021
The brilliant Joe Root gets to his sixth century of the year, and third in this series.
🎥 Sony Sports pic.twitter.com/bK6RfaPWxW
Most hundreds in India-England Tests:
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) August 26, 2021
8 Joe Root (41 inns)
7 Rahul Dravid (37)
7 Sachin Tendulkar (53)
7 Alastair Cook (54)
6 Mohammad Azharuddin (24)
6 Kevin Pietersen (28)#ENGvIND
Roooooooooooooottttt #ENGvsIND
— Tim Bresnan (@timbresnan) August 26, 2021
It really is something to watch a batter in his ultimate prime. What an unbelievable year Root is having. Mind boggling. 🤯 #ENGvIND
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) August 26, 2021
Joe Root conversion rates:
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) August 26, 2021
8 x 100 in first 21 50+ scores
9 x 100 in next 45 50+ scores
6 x 100 in next 7 50+ scores
Not an ordinary Joe, this man Root! Superb century
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) August 26, 2021
It doesn't matter which team you are supporting. Cast that aside. This performance from Joe Root is that of a top player at the height of his power.and something to admire.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 26, 2021
Eng 333/3 after 104 overs: ROOOOOOOOOOOT! 100 off 124 balls. A most brilliant of innings. Test match hundred No 23. The England captain in his home county ground scores another hundred. His sixth of the year, and third in this series.
Questions really should be raised if once Joe Root fails to convert this decent start into a big enough score. pic.twitter.com/f4SGvACOFj
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) August 26, 2021
Eng 323/3 after 102 overs: England lead by 250 runs now and this is just Day 2. They can bat on for another day and they will still have enough time to try and bowl out India.
Eng 313/3 after 100 overs: England are motoring along thanks to Root. He finished the Siraj over with a wonderful straight drive for four and has scored 93 off 116 balls.
Eng 301/3 after 97 overs: Maiden over from Jadeja and the umpire went up for a bit. It seemed like the ball might have bounced off the foot into the gloves of the keeper. But replays showed it cleared bounced. Bairstow still there.
Eng 301/3 after 96 overs: Bairstow will take a bit to get set but he could be really dangerous given the match situation. The lead is 223 runs.
Eng 298/3 after 95 overs: Bairstow in the middle and the session starts with a maiden over.
The post-tea session begins.
#ENGvIND
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 26, 2021
Siraj gets a wicket. He also gets a review right!
🎥 Sony Sports pic.twitter.com/PzEGpEInV7
Eng 298/3 after 94 overs: WICKET! Nothing happening. Malan beaten down the leg side. Siraj convinced there was an edge. Pant didn’t hear it. Kohli decided to take the review anyway and there is an edge! At long last, India have a wicket as they go in for tea. Malan made 70 off 128 balls.
Root now averages 62.61 against India from 41 innings. His highest batting average against any nation. #ENGvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 292/2 after 92 overs: The lead has now grown to 214. India are trying some stuff in the middle but nothing seems to be working.
This is a unique opportunity for England to not only exorcise all ghosts but grind the opposition down comprehensively. To do that they must be bold! Declare 300 runs ahead and aim to knock the opposition over quickly again to ‘mentally disintegrate’ them. Will that happen?
— PRAKASH WAKANKAR (@pakwakankar) August 26, 2021
-#TeamIndia have never won a test scoring less than 100 in first innings
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) August 26, 2021
104 is their lowest total to win and 83 is the lowest in a draw. 104 was against Australia in 2004 in Mumbai and 83 was against NZ in Mohali in 1999#CricitwithBadri #engvsindia
Eng 282/2 after 90 overs: Siraj and India going to Plan B now. The short ball and the fielders in the deep and it almost worked. Root got a top edge off a slowish bouncer but it dropped short of fine leg.
Average swing with first 10 overs of the new ball in this Test match:
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
England: 2.1°
India (1st): 1.0°
India (2nd): 0.6°#ENGvIND
8 - @dmalan29 has registered his 8th score of 50+ in Test cricket, his false shot rate in this innings is currently just 11%, only two of his previous 26 Test innings for @englandcricket saw him record a lower rate. Control.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/PsBi30ne2b
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) August 26, 2021
Eng 274/2 after 89 overs: England lead by 200 runs now. India are playing the waiting game; waiting for England to hopefully make a mistake. This is perhaps where they need to try something – maybe go short a lot more or at least set up some sort of trap.
Eng 274/2 after 88 overs: Siraj into the attack. The novelty of the new ball has worn off rather quickly and Kohli has run out of ideas as well.
Eng 269/2 after 87 overs: Ishant back into the attack and he looks completely out of rhythm. Two no-balls and a four ball in the over. In 15 overs, he has conceded 59 runs and looked out of sorts at all times.
Eng 259/2 after 86 overs: Fifty for Malan too! A superb knock in his comeback. He has enjoyed his time in the middle. 50 off 99 and he also brings up his 100-run stand with Root in the same over.
#ENGvIND
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 26, 2021
Root's golden run continues. Another fifty. His fourth 50+ score of the series.
🎥 Sony Sportspic.twitter.com/u3TbVT1PIg
Root has moved from very good to great to legendary in the space of a few months. To play the innings he's played in Galle, Chennai, Nottingham, London & now this in Leeds since the turn of the year...jeez. It represents total mastery. #ENGvIND
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) August 26, 2021
Eng 256/2 after 85 overs: There was just one run-scoring shot played in the over but it was worth the price of admission. A backfoot punch by Root. Waited for it, then got nn the toes, on top of the bounce and just punched it through the covers. Class.
Joe Root is godlike this year #2021 #theyearofroot #ENGvIND
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) August 26, 2021
Eng 252/2 after 84 overs: A bit too wide from Shami and Malan played some punishing square cuts either side of Ishant Sharma. He moves on to 49.
Root has been Root. But Malan has been a breath of fresh air in an otherwise tentative and strangled England top order. #ENGvIND
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) August 26, 2021
Root has played at 90.4% of deliveries in this innings.
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
That is the second highest percentage of any 50+ score made in England since records began in 2006.
Sam Robson's 127 (253) v Sri Lanka in May 2014 has the highest percentage of deliveries played at (91.7%). #ENGvIND
Has Joe Root solved batting? pic.twitter.com/nNTTY4N3q0
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) August 26, 2021
Eng 243/2 after 83 overs: Time for a drinks break and heaven knows India need it. Root (56) and Malan (41) have stepped on the accelerator and put on 45 runs in the last 10 overs.
Eng 239/2 after 82 overs: 51 off 57. Root on the charge and looking so good while doing it. Some exquisite shots being played. The truly worrisome part for India is how he doesn’t even seem to be pushing it. He is making batting look easy at the moment. Far too easy.
Joe Root is batting on a different level to anyone else in the world this year. Reaches 50 at Headingley in 57 balls. He is Hashim Amla in 2012 and Steve Smith in 2017-18/2019 #classapart #ENGvIND
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) August 26, 2021
Eng 230/2 after 81 overs: The margin of error for the Indian bowlers is very small now. The batsmen are well set and there is little in the pitch for the bowlers. The new ball might give them something though.
Second new ball taken by India. England are 226/2, a lead of 148.
In the first 20 overs of the second new ball's life, Jasprit Bumrah averages 13.15, taking a wicket every 28 deliveries bowled. #ENGvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 221/2 after 79 overs: England lead by 143 runs. They are bringing out the shots and India are but mere spectators at the moment. So much will hinge on India’s batting effort in the second innings but they need England to have a not too sizeable lead.
Eng 204/2 after 74 overs: Root (35) going along merrily here, he has overtaken Malan who has added just one run after lunch. He looks determined to push the scoring rate up and if this goes on for a while, it will force Kohli to set defensive fields too.
Root now has 368 runs against Jadeja in Tests, more than than any other bowler - passing his tally of 360 against Ashwin this innings. #ENGvIND https://t.co/fOgrczIw5h
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 196/2 after 71 overs: Root has come in and scored at a fair clip already. He has the natural ability to keep things ticking along. Two fours in the Jadeja over – one off a full toss and one off the back foot. The England skipper has scored 27 runs off 25 balls.
The sun makes an appearance for the first time today. A peek and then it goes away again.
Eng 182/2 after 69 overs: Jadeja starts off with a quick maiden. Barely took a minute.
Time for the post-lunch session to begin. Jadeja it is.
Eng 182/2 after 68 overs: And that is lunch. 62 runs, 2 wickets, 26 overs in the session. England have done well in overcast conditions but India have got a couple of wickets too. A shared session but England well ahead in the game. Malan (27) and Root (14) in the middle for England.
A South African back in England’s batting line up - 170/2.
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) August 26, 2021
Unreal…
🎣
Eng 170/2 after 66 overs: A bit of a mix-up in the middle. Malan dabbed it towards point and set off. Root wasn’t as sure. A misfield ensured they went through eventually.
Eng 169/2 after 65 overs: Root in the middle now. He isn’t short on confidence and Malan might feed off that too. For India, though, getting him will be a huge boost. Interesting phase of play coming up.
Indian bowlers this series - 41 wkts
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 26, 2021
pacers (5) - 40 wkts in 344.2 overs (2066 balls) S/r 52 balls/wkt
spinners (1) - 1 wkt in 50 overs (300 balls) S/r 300 balls/wkt#EngvInd #EngvsInd#IndvEng #IndvsEng
#ENGvIND
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 26, 2021
India needed some good old Jadeja magic and he delivered.
🎥 Sony Sportspic.twitter.com/lsYqHk5x5C
Eng 159/2 after 63 overs: WICKET! Jadeja with the much-needed breakthrough. Hameed (68) played inside the line, the ball turned and hit the top of the off-stump. A fine innings. It was just what England needed.
Jadeja comes into the attack. Some footmarks for him to exploit.
Eng 158/1 after 62 overs: Hameed and Malan are staying patient in the middle and India’s bowlers are being forced to do the same. Because of India’s collapse of Day 1, there is a lot of time left in the game and England are in no hurry. They don’t need to be.
Eng 153/1 after 60 overs: The runs are coming at the moment but England won’t mind this. The workload on the Indian bowlers is increasing all the time. Siraj still hasn’t got his line yet though.
Hameed is struggling to get out of first gear this morning.
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
He has faced 54 deliveries this morning and has scored just eight runs (SR: 14.8). His attacking shot percentage is just 7.4% today - way down on the 11.4% we saw yesterday. #ENGvIND
Eng 149/1 after 59 overs: Hameed gets through the rest of the over safely but Bumrah will feel he has something to work on.
With those two cut shots, Malan's average against short balls has ticked above fifty.
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
He has only been dismissed twice in Test cricket playing the cut/pull, and averages 79 whilst doing so. #ENGvIND
Eng 149/1 after 58.2 overs: Hameed tried to duck a bouncer from Bumrah, takes his eyes off the ball and gets hit on the helmet. Seems okay though but he might get a few more short ones heading his way now.
Eng 149/1 after 58 overs: A bit too short and wide from Siraj in his first over and he gets smashed for two fours by Malan. England lead by 71 runs.
Siraj coming into the attack for the first time today.
Eng 141/1 after 57 overs: Another maiden over. That makes it four maiden overs on the trot.
Eng 141/1 after 56 overs: Shami persisting with the round-the-wicket line of attack. Getting a few to nip back in quite sharply.
Time for a drinks break. England lead by 63 runs.
Eng 141/1 after 55 overs: A maiden over by Bumrah. Hameed looking a little shaky in the middle.
Underway in typical @dmalan29 style.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 26, 2021
Scorecard & Videos: https://t.co/4J0Svpfv3V#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/yvq9eQ5iLj
Eng 141/1 after 54 overs: The last ball of the Shami over should give India another clue of what they need to do more of. It was pitched up, Malan went for the expansive drive, connected with nothing but air. Smiles all around.
England's Test No3 is about to face his first ball, in the 53rd over of the innings. All a bit novel.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) August 26, 2021
Eng 140/1 after 53 overs: Bumrah still a little short but he needs to pitch it up even more to Malan, who is much more comfortable off the back foot. After two deliveries from over the wicket, the pacer decided to go round the wicket to the left-hander.
Malan has had his struggles against balls on a good length in Test cricket. Since 2006 only Keaton Jennings has a worse batting average against balls pitching between 6-8m from pace bowlers. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/eZQNTzw4Co
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 136/1 after 52 overs: Shami and Bumrah, bowling in tandem finally. They won’t make it easy for the batsmen. England lead by 58 runs.
#ENGvIND
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 26, 2021
A superb delivery from Shami to send back Burns.
🎥 Sony Sports pic.twitter.com/RWo26f1T1a
Eng 135/1 after 51 overs: Dawid Malan joins Hameed in the middle. A chance for him to score some big runs and make an impression. Bumrah getting some movement. Nothing extravagant but this was a change that should have been made a long time back.
Bumrah being brought into the attack. Ishant gets a break.
Eng 135/1 after 50 overs: WICKET! Shami gets one to nip back and hit the top of off-stump. Perfect. Burns walking back after a fine 61.
Eng 135/0 after 49 overs: Ishant continues. He gets one to go past the bat too. But where is Bumrah? Where is Siraj?
Eng 133/0 after 48 overs: Still not enough swing for India’s bowlers. England’s openers starting to get set again.
This opening partnership is the highest for England since Sir Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed put on 180 for the first wicket in November 2016 - also against India in Rajkot. #ENGvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 26, 2021
Eng 121/0 after 44 overs: Shami comes on from the other end and he started off with a maiden over. Steady stuff but India want wickets and they want the bowlers to pitch it up.
Eng 121/0 after 43 overs: Ishant Sharma started things off for India on Day 2 too. Many thought he should have gone with Bumrah and Shami to start the day but he went with the veteran again. After a few widish deliveries, he got it closer to where he wanted to ideally be.
Day 2: India’s bowlers would have had a chance to look at what they were getting wrong but it will be interesting to see whether they can execute their plans. The pitch map showed that India were a bit all over the place and not as full as the England bowlers were. To get back in the game, India need early wickets. Habeeb Hameed and Rory Burns will have to get set again and it is overcast at Headingley. Too early to start dreaming again but India will have to make a start somewhere.
Day 1: England great James Anderson ripped through the top order as India collapsed to 78 all out in the third Test at Headingley on Wednesday before openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed capped a near-perfect first day for Joe Root’s men with an unbroken stand of 120.
Anderson took 3-6 in eight overs – a haul that included the prize dismissal of India captain Virat Kohli, who won the toss.
Already the most successful fast bowler in Test history, Anderson now has 629 wickets at this level.
He was well supported by Sam Curran and Craig Overton, who both took two wickets in two balls.
Overton finished with 3-14 in 10.4 overs after being recalled in place of injured fast bowler Mark Wood.
Nevertheless, there remained the worry for England, beset by top-order woes during a run of seven Tests without a win, of a similar collapse.
But Burns and Hameed - England’s 22nd Test-opening pair since Andrew Strauss retired nine years ago – saw them to a first-innings lead of 42 at stumps.