ENG vs IND, 4th Test: 5 Talking Points from India’s Outing on Day 3 at Old Trafford

England dominated Day 3 of the Old Trafford Test, posting 544/7 and taking a substantial lead. Joe Root's century and Ben Stokes' fluent knock put India under pressure, while the Indian bowlers struggled, especially in the morning session.

Key Highlights of India's Outing on Day 3 of Manchester Test

Day 3 of the Old Trafford Test between England and India was eventful as the hosts dominated the proceedings, with Joe Root and Ben Stokes headlining with fluent knocks, while India lacked intensity with the ball in Manchester on Friday, July 25.

At the end of Day 3, England posted a total of 544/7, with skipper Ben Stokes and Liam Dawson batting on 77 and 21 and having an 186-run lead, putting India under significant pressure heading into Day 4. Joe Root was the top-scorer of the day, scoring 150 off 248 balls, registering his 38th Test century.

For India, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja picked two wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took a scalp each.

On that note, let’s take a look at key takeaways from India’s outing on Day 3 of the Manchester Test:

1. Bowlers struggled in the morning session

The Indian bowlers, especially pacers, had a forgettable outing in the morning session of Day 3. England resumed their first innings at 225/2, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root batting on 20 and 42 and trailing by 133 runs. Pope and Root built on their partnership through the morning session and took England past the 300-run mark before the lunch break. The pair took advantage of India’s erratic line and length and lack of swing, steadily eroding the lead and shifting the momentum in England’s favour.

India’s wayward bowling, especially from Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Anshul Kamboj, allowed the England batters to settle in and score freely. The defensive fielding placements by skipper Shubman Gill compounded India’s troubles, allowing easy singles and releasing pressure from England batters. India went wicketless in the morning session of Day 3.

2. Washington Sundar’s 2 late wickets put India back in the contest

After the morning session was dominated by Ollie Pope and Joe Root, there was some relief in the afternoon session as Washington Sundar put Team India back in the contest with two late wickets. As Pope and Root were looking to carry on their partnership, Sundar gave India a fresh breath of air by dismissing the former for 71 at 341/3, ending an 144-run stand for the third wicket.

Soon, Sundar gave India yet another breakthrough by dismissing Harry Brook for 3 at 349/4. These two wickets of England by Washington Sundar gave India something to build on, putting the brakes on England’s momentum and injecting a much-needed sense of belief into the visitors as they looked to claw their way back into the game.

3. Ravindra Jadeja breaks Root-Stokes' 150-run stand

Joe Root and Ben Stokes frustrated the Indian bowlers with their solid partnership that took away the momentum from India. After Harry Brook’s dismissal, Stokes walked out to bat and joined the former England captain at the crease to carry on the hosts' innings. The pair was cruising as they shared a 150-run partnership to put India on the back foot and took England nearly a 150-run lead.

Root and Stokes were building a strong partnership until Ravindra Jadeja stepped up and ended their stand by dismissing Joe Root, who moved to second spot on the all–time Test run-scorers list, at 499/5, giving India a much-needed breakthrough and a glimmer of hope of clawing back into the game.

4. Jasprit Bumrah not in his rhythm amid an ankle twist

Despite being a lead pacer, Jasprit Bumrah was not in his rhythm to control the flow of runs or create consistent wicket-taking opportunities. The 31-year-old failed to take a single wicket on Day 2 and had a wicketless run in the first two sessions on Day 3. There was a slight impact on his performance when he twisted his ankle while bowling with the new ball and walked off the field after an over to receive some treatment.

Already, Bumrah was struggling to find his usual zip and control, and an ankle twist further hampered his rhythm. However, India’s pace spearhead finally managed to take a wicket by dismissing Jamie Smith for 9 at 515/6, but by then, England had already piled up a commanding first-innings lead.

5. Tactical missteps lead to India losing control

Team India has themselves to blame for a poor outing on Day 3 of the Manchester Test. Shubman Gill came under the fire of fans and experts for strategic mistakes that proved costly for Team India in the first sessions of Day 3. Gill did not use Shardul Thakur enough rather relied heavily on Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Anshul Kamboj before bringing in Ravindra Jadeja after 15 overs of the first session.

Washington Sundar was brought in further late into the attack in the 68th over. This delayed use of spin allowed England batters to get well-set, and India missed a crucial window to apply pressure on the hosts earlier. Too much of defensive fielding placements and delayed bowling rotations meant that England dictated the proceedings, leaving India mount to climb heading into Day 4.