Pataudi Trophy 2021, 3rd Test: Joe Root's 23rd Test century keeps England on top at stumps on Day 2

By Ayush Gupta | First Published Aug 26, 2021, 6:01 PM IST

India is toiling against England in the third Test for the Pataudi Trophy at Headingley in Leeds. Meanwhile, the host remained on top on Day 2, as the visitor worked hard to keep it grounded.

On Thursday, England rode smoothly on Day 2 of the third Test against India for the 2021 Pataudi Trophy at Headingley in Leeds. The host lost eight wickets at stumps but stayed in control, scoring 423/8 and leading by 345 runs.

On Day 1, India had won the toss and decided to bat, as the decision backfired, while the side got shot out for 78, thanks to three-fors from James Anderson and Ollie Robinson. Meanwhile, England finished Day 1 on top, at 120/0.

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Although the host started Day 2 positive for the initial half-an-hour, 15 runs later, seamer Mohammed Shami got the opening breakthrough, with Rory Burns falling for 61 after being cleaned up. It was followed by a 24-run stand between Haseeb Hameed and Dawid Malan before the former was dismissed for 68 by leg-spinner Ravindra Jadeja similarly.

In came skipper Joe Root and, along with Malan, managed to bat out for the rest of the session, finishing on 182/2, while the led is extended to 104 runs. Although the Indians bowled well in the opening session, the Englishmen tackled it better, with some close calls going their way.

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In the post-lunch session, the pair continued to frustrate England, both Malan and Root brought up their seventh and 51st Test half-century. After a 139-run stand for the third wicket, Malan was dismissed for 70 by pacer Mohammed Siraj, who made him caught behind by Rishabh Pant.

Initially given not out, Siraj was convinced that there was a knick as skipper Virat Kohli went upstairs, which turned out to be a right review call. The tea break eventually kicked in, with England at 298/3, leading by 220 runs.

The post-tea session saw Root and Jonny Bairstow put up a 52-run stand for the fourth wicket before the latter fell for 29 to Shami after edging it to Kohli in the slips. As wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler joined the skipper, the two could add just ten runs more, with the latter falling for seven to the same man, playing it to Ishant Sharma at the mid-wicket.

By this time, Root had already scored his 23rd Test century and looked to keep going. However, at 383, he was knocked over by pacer Jasprit Bumrah for 121, followed by all-rounder Moeen Ali (7) at the same score to Jadeja, caught by Axar Patel.

It was then all-rounder Sam Curran and Craig Overton who contributed 35 more for the eighth wicket before the former departed for 15 to Siraj after an attempted pull of a short ball fell in the hands of Mayank Agarwal at cow corner. In came Ollie Robinson and the two batted it out until the end of the day's playing, finishing at 423/8, with the lead extending to 345 runs.

For India, five bowlers have been utilised. While Shami has attained the most success so far, Bumrah has been the most economical of all.
Brief scores: India 78 (Rohit-19; Anderson- 3/6, Overton- 3/14) trails England 423/8 (Hameed- 68, Burns- 61, Malan- 70, Root- 121; Shami- 3/87) by 345 runs.

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