Morning Session: India Build a Crucial Lead
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3 India resumed their second innings with momentum and determination. Yashasvi Jaiswal and nightwatchman Akash Deep put together a defiant 107-run partnership, frustrating England’s new-ball bowlers and extending India’s lead substantially By lunch, India were 189/3, leading by 166 runs. Jaiswal was unbeaten on 85, while Akash Deep had just reached a maiden Test fifty, making 66 off 70 balls
England’s inexperienced bowling, missing key names like Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Chris Woakes, struggled for consistency. Overcast conditions and several dropped catches (four in total) further helped India assert control along with underwhelming fielding from the hosts
Post-Lunch Session: Milestones and Momentum Shifts
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3
After lunch, Jaiswal held the fort brilliantly. His crisp cover drives and confident strokeplay took him beyond the 100‑run mark. He would go on to score 118, his second century of the series, drawing standing ovations as he departed
Akash Deep, who entered the game as a nightwatchman, continued surprising everyone with mature batting down the order. Fending off pressure from Overton, he maintained his resolve until being dismissed for 66 just before the interval by an outstanding delivery from Jamie Overton. India’s lead at that point had ballooned to over 330 runs
Soon after, Ravindra Jadeja joined the fray and reached a well-crafted fifty off 71 balls, taking his series aggregate past the 500‑run mark. His innings added much‑needed stability and quick runs, reinforcing India’s commanding position
Josh Tongue emerged as the only effective visitor in this phase, grabbing a strong five‑wicket haul equal top Series wicket-taker alongside Siraj with 19 wickets yet India’s upper order had done the bulk of the damage
Final Session: England’s Response Begins
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3 India closed their second innings at 396, setting England a daunting target of 374
England’s reply began on an optimistic note. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett orchestrated a 50‑run opening stand, showing early intent against a tiring Indian pace attack. However, Mohammed Siraj struck in the final ball of the day, sending Crawley back for 14 with a sharp inswinging Yorker England were 50/1 at the close
Key Highlights & Context
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 118 came at a critical juncture, anchoring the innings and laying the foundation for India’s victory push. India’s lead surged to 373 after Day 3, placing them well beyond any successful chase at The Oval in history
Akash Deep’s knock as a nightwatchman—his maiden fifty—struck national headlines. He revealed that his mental tactic was the mantra: “I won’t lose my wicket,” which kept him steady under pressure. His performance outshone even some batting specialists in the lineup
Ravindra Jadeja added another half-century, bringing his series tally to 515 runs contributing both with the bat and his usual all-round value
England’s fielding woes continued they dropped multiple catches, which cost momentum and potential breakthroughs
Josh Tongue stood out with his bowling. His five-wicket haul was the pick of the visitors’ effort, but it came too late to prevent a daunting lead
Mohammed Siraj took the final breakthrough before stumps by cleaning up Crawley with a perfect yorker. He shared series top-wicket honors, and his relentless energy epitomized India’s fighting spirit
Summary Table of Day 3
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3
| Phase | India Performance | England Response |
| Morning | Partnership of Jaiswal & Deep built lead to 166 by lunch | Bowling attack lacked discipline & fitness |
| Afternoon | Jaiswal (118), Jadeja (50+), Deep (66) piled on runs | Tongue claimed five wickets, but no support |
| Evening | India pushed to 396 all out | England ended 50/1 needing 324 more runs
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Implications Heading into Day 4
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3 At stumps on Day 3, England are 50/1, needing 324 runs with nine wickets in hand to clinch the match and a 3‑1 series victory. India, on the other hand, require four more wickets to draw the series 2–2 and retain the Anderson‑Tendulkar Trophy.
Historically, no team has successfully chased over 263 at The Oval. England’s target of 374 is unprecedented at this venue In addition, Chris Woakes is unlikely to bat due to a dislocated shoulder, and Ben Duckett may be struggling with a hand injury after being hit by Prasidh Krishna recently
With England effectively missing depth and India riding high on lower‑order resilience, the final day promises a textbook Test-climax: tension, history, and fine margins aplenty. India Build Huge Lead on Day 3
Off‑Field Drama & Fun Moments
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3
- Jaiswal was involved in psychological sparring with England’s batsmen, notably Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope, taunting them into playing aggressive shots like sweeps and reverse sweeps in moments of frustration a sign of rising competitive intensity
- A lighter moment came from Ravindra Jadeja, who cheekily gestured to an England spectator to change their T‑shirt during play adding a slice of humor to high‑pressure cricket
Outlook for Day 4
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3 England’s chase sits on a knife‑edge:
- Can India’s seamers (Siraj, Prasidh) & Jadeja’s spin squeeze out four wickets?
- Will England’s lower order (Brook, Root, Bethell, Smith) stand tall in turbulent conditions and physical issues?
- Could injuries to Duckett and Woakes change the dynamics further?
India’s performance this series has been tenacious, built on grit from unexpected quarters like Akash Deep and seasoned reliability from Jaiswal and Jadeja. England, meanwhile, still have momentum: the Brook‑Root partnership of 195 runs (Root’s 39th Test century; Brook 111) proved they can handle pressure but India clawed back late in the day to remind everyone this is far from over
India Build Huge Lead on Day 3 Rain and light disruptions have already paused play twice but the punctuality of final‑day endings frequently defines Test epics.
As Day 4 unfolds, India hold the whip hand, but England have a path to an astonishing record chase. Expect drama, emotion and unpredictability classic Test match theatre at The Oval.