Team India has put themselves in driver's seat after spinner Kuldeep Yadav picked the crucial wicket of England batter Ben Duckett in the first session of Day 3 of the ongoing third Test at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Saturday, January 16.
England resumed their first innings batting at 207/2, with Ben Duckett and Joe Root batting on 133 and 9, respectively. On Day 2, Duckett led visitors' batting as he resorted to an aggressive approach and brought up his first century of the ongoing Test series in 88 balls.
Jasprit Bumran began the proceedings for Team India as he bowled to Ben Duckett. Duckett was looking to form a good partnership with Joe Root but latter's stay at the crease ended after Bumrah dismissed him for 18 at 224/3.
Thereafter, Kuldeep Yadav got the better of Jonny Bairstow for a duck at 225/4. After Bairstow's dismissal, Ben Duckett was joined by Ben Stokes to carry on England innings. The pair steadied the hosts batting after two early wickets in the first session of the Day.
Duckett and Stokes were building a good partnership until Kuldeep Yadav struck his second wicket of the innings by dismissing the former for 153 at 260/5. Ben Duckett's brilliant knock of consisted of 23 fours and 2 sixes and batting at a strike rate of 101.32.
Ben Duckett's wicket gave a little sigh relief to India as England batter was dominating the hosts with his 'Bazball' approach on a flat pitch in Rajkot. Duckett's dismissal has edged India past in the first session of Day 3. Ben Duckett's batting put England in dominating position but his fall of wicket was a big blow as it put a slight brake on visitors' first innings.
England trail by 155 runs at Lunch
After Ben Duckett's dismissal, Ben Stokes was joined by Ben Foakes in the middle to carry on England's first innings batting. The pair batted hard throughout the remaining overs in order to ensure no further fall of wickets in the first session.
Ben Stokes accelerated England's innings with six fours while Ben Foakes played safely against Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. At the end of the first session, England posted a total of 290/5 in 61 overs, with Stokes and Foakes batting on 39 and 6, respectively.
Kuldeep Yadav picked two wickets and registered the figures of 2/77 in 18 overs while Jasprit Bumrah scalped a wicket and has figures 1/54 in 15 overs at Lunch.
With the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin in the ongoing third Test, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja will have to step up for India.
