Will India Win 3rd Test Match Against England?

Nottingham: India are one wicket away from a comprehensive victory as England were 311/9 at stumps on the fourth day while chasing a mammoth 521 in the third Test match here on Tuesday.

Adil Rashid (30) and James Anderson (8) were at the crease when umpires dislodged the bails for the day.

India Jasprit Bumrah broke the backbone of the English batting line-up, scalping five wickets in his 29 overs, while Ishant Sharma chipped in with two wickets.

The day started with India reducing the hosts to 84/4 at lunch on the penultimate day. Assisted by overcast conditions suited to swing and seam bowling, the Indian pace trio of Ishant Sharma (2/24), Mohammed Shami (1/28) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/26) got rid of the English top order.

Also Read: We Will Never Give Up: Kohli To Fans

Resuming at the overnight score of 23/0, England lost opener Keaton Jennings (13) in the very first over of the day, after the southpaw nicked one behind to Rishabh Pant off Ishant's short-of-length delivery.

Ishant struck again in his very next over by sending back his old nemesis and former England skipper Alastair Cook (17) for the 11th time in Tests, this time caught comfortably by Lokesh Rahul at second slip.

Struggling at 32/2, skipper Joe Root (13) along with rookie batsman Ollie Pope (16), did well to battle out the initial fury from the Indian pacers, who by now had their tails up.

Root attacked first change bowler Shami with a couple of boundaries but looked consistently in doubt facing Bumrah, who finally managed to get the right-hander caught by Rahul at second slip.

In the very next over, Pope joined his skipper back in the pavilion, thanks to a blinder of a catch at third slip by captain Virat Kohli off Shami.

Bumrah could have jolted England in the next couple of overs with the wicket of new man Buttler for a duck had Pant not dropped a regulation catch behind the stumps.

Buttler and Stokes did well to survive a few anxious moments even as the stand-in England wicketkeeper started playing his natural game once he got his eyes in towards the end of the first session.

The second session saw English middle-order batsmen Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler showing intent. The duo went on to play the entire session without losing their wickets and helped their team make scoreboard read 173/4.

But after the break and change of ball, there was sudden turn of events at Trent Bridge.

Bumrah first dismissed centurion Buttler (106) and then sent packing Johnny Bairstow in the very next delivery to dash the hopes of England.

Chris Woakes, who slammed a brilliant ton in the last match, was next to go. Bumrah delivered a perfect ball which took an edge and keeper Rishabh Pant made no mistakes and grabbled it easily.

With scoreboard reading 241/7, Hardik Pandya came in the picture to dismiss Stokes in the next over to make scoreboard read 241/8.

Rashid and Stuart Broad (20) however, stopped the fall of wickets by stitching a 50- run partnership before Bumrah came up with a superb delivery to dismiss Broad. He was caught at slips.

Needing one wicket to win, Indian bowlers tried hard to dismiss Rashid or Anderson but the duo played sensibly and carried the match to the final day.

Broef scores: India 329, 352/7 vs England 161, 311/9 (Jos Buttler 106, Ben Stokes 62; Jasprit Bumrah 5/85 Ishant Sharma 2/70) at stumps on Day 4.

(IANS)