Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett showcased resilience as England aggressively cut the deficit to 101 runs against India on day three of the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Despite surviving early bat-pad chances, Crawley and Duckett adopted an attacking approach, utilizing sweeps and reverse sweeps to gather quick runs.
At lunch, England stood at 89/1 in 15 overs, demonstrating a brisk scoring pace in their second innings, even as the pitch slowed down considerably. Earlier in the morning, India concluded their first innings at 436, extending their lead to a healthy 190 runs.
Joe Root played a pivotal role for England with figures of 4-79, dismissing top run-scorer Ravindra Jadeja for 87, while Rehan Ahmed and debutant Tom Hartley claimed two wickets each. In response, Crawley took on the positive route, executing reverse sweeps and square drives for boundaries. His attacking approach led to a 45-run opening stand with Duckett, who contributed effectively with sweeps and conventional shots.
Ravichandran Ashwin finally got the breakthrough, dismissing Crawley by inducing an outside edge. Meanwhile, Duckett continued his aggressive play, taking on the Indian spinners with a mix of sweeps and boundaries, finishing the session unbeaten on 38.
England’s bold batting style challenges India, and the hosts now face an intriguing second session as the visitors aim to further cut the deficit. The aggressive play by Crawley, Duckett, and Ollie Pope signals an exciting battle between bat and ball in the remainder of the Test match.
Brief Scores: England 246 and 89/1 in 15 overs (Ben Duckett 38 not out; Ravichandran Ashwin 1-36) trails India 436 in 121 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 87, KL Rahul 86; Joe Root 4-79, Rehan Ahmed 2-105) by 101 runs.
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–IANS
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