ENG vs IND | Twitter reacts as feisty England begin 399-run chase with aplomb after sublime Gill ton on Day 3

02/04/2024

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India proved to be dependent on one standout performance yet again in the second innings as Shubman Gill saved a crumbling batting unit the blushes with a marauding century. A mammoth chase for England ensued but the gung-ho visitors managed to shave 67 runs off the ask already by Stumps in Vizag.

Brief Scores: ENG 67/1 (Crawley 29*, Duckett 28; Ashwin 1/8) & 253 need 332 runs to win against IND 396 & 255 ( Gill 104, Axar 45; Hartley 4/77)

An invigorated James Anderson sparked the game to life immediately on Sunday by sounding Rohit Sharma the death knell with a jaffa on his fourth ball and then dispatching first innings' double centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal in his ensuing over. However, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer curbed the visitors' momentum with a positive-minded 81-run stand, only for the latter to spurn another good start by holing out to a diving Ben Stokes on 29. One wicket brings two seemed to be the mantra of the day as Rajat Patidar fell prey to a brilliant grab by Ben Foakes to leave the hosts in a spot of bother at 130/4 heading into Lunch.

Axar Patel proved to be up to the task in his elevated batting position of number six and ably supported an increasingly confident Gill after the break. The top-order maestro ended his run drought in the longest format by bringing up a third Test ton and seemed to acknowledge his struggles with a subdued celebration. Nevertheless, the duo had put the Men in Blue back into the driver's seat by stitching together 89 runs, and it took some inspired field changes from Stokes to force the centurion into a mistake and glove one to the keeper. Axar kept up the day's pattern by departing to a Hartley delivery that kept agonizingly low and there was no stopping a collapse this time around. From 212/4, India succumbed to 255 all-out as Rehan Amed finished with three scalps, including that of Ravichandran Ashwin after a plucky 29.

Thus set a target of 399 given India's first innings lead of 143, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett feasted on Mukesh Kumar's inexperience at the fag end of the day to post a rapid opening partnership of 50. Rohit resorted to bringing in the spinners to close out play and was instantly rewarded by Ashwin inducing a bat-pad off Duckett on his fourth ball that was pouched expertly by a completely horizontal KS Bharat. Rehan Ahmed was consequently introduced as England's latest nighthawk and saw out the day successfully alongside Crawley.

What aguess it was!

Jaayega jaayega is baar Rohit bhai ke pass jaayega 🙂 and guess it .... #RohitSharma #Sikharbharat #INDvsENGTest pic.twitter.com/fYbvjvxLeT
— Nishant (@nyctophile_xt) February 4, 2024

He is really good player!

Rehan is quite the character. Sent in as a nightwatchman he ends up giving strike to Crawley, and also plays 2 impetuous looking streaky boundaries in the final over of the day. England are giving a new spin to approaching a Test Match#INDvsENGTest #IndvEng pic.twitter.com/jleqG5CEuY
— Kartik Kannan (@kartik_kannan) February 4, 2024

Both of them have chances!

- England needs 332 runs.

- India needs 9 wickets.

- 2 days left.

A cracking Test on card at Vizag. 👀#INDvsENGTest pic.twitter.com/QgBldZmLoD
— Syed Saad (@s_saad2004) February 4, 2024

Good day!

Stumps on day 3 - England 68/1.

- India needs 9 wickets to win.

- England needs 332 runs to win.

- 2 days left in this Test match.#INDvENG #INDvsENGTest

𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 ⬇️https://t.co/9snLVkyvPA pic.twitter.com/2dMV7R3PZK
— THE AJAY Cric (@TheCric_AJAY) February 4, 2024

500 loading!

497 Test wickets for Ashwin.#INDvsENGTest #ShubmanGill #shubhmangill #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/QSBUoaMm77
— Kirkit (@KBoy38447131203) February 4, 2024

Good!

Ek Baat Ki Khushi Hai Maine Kabhi Actor ko Idol nahi mana🥱

Virat Kohli, Ms Dhoni, Rohit Sharma ye Log hi mere IDOL the Hai Aur Rhege

Bigg Boss ke Phle v Aaj ek baad v .... #Abhisha
— satyam kumar (@Satyam_0503) February 4, 2024

Who?

He is More Runs Then Rohit Sharma 😂
— Dheeraj Swarnkar (@MrDheerajsoni) February 4, 2024

Ok let's see what happens tomorrow!

India out at 254 🤔 England is in the same position like first inning got bowled out 253 chasing 396 now has to chase again 398 runs 😂😂

ENG trailing 331 runs.#INDvsENG #INDvENG #ENGvIND #Gill #Jadeja #RohitSharma #AxarPatel #INDvsENGTest #ShreyasIyer #INDvsENGTest pic.twitter.com/EfZbPIX4hA
— Cric_Lover 🏏 (@ankit_bhattar) February 4, 2024