Stokes strikes after breathtaking Brook 99 in tight first Test

Headingley, Day three of the first Rothesay Test

India 471 (Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101, Stokes 4-66, Tongue 4-86) &amp, 90-2

England 465 (Pope 106, Brook 99, Duckett, Bumrah 5-83)

India leads 96 runs.

After Harry Brook’s stunning 99 on the helter-skelter third day of the first Test at Headingley, England captain Ben Stokes monitored India’s progress.

When Stokes scored a Sai Sudharsan clip to midwicket, the tourists had a 90-run lead before the tourists had a 96-run lead at the break.

India had earlier extended its six-run lead when they bowled England for 465.

Brook was dropped twice after being caught off a no-ball late in day two. He hit a long leg with an outrageous strike, and he looked on his home turf for a century.

When Brook became the seventh man out, England were still tied with 73, but Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse made a quick 55-point lead over the hosts.

The unstoppable Jasprit Bumrah eventually defeated Woakes, who did the same for Shoaib Bashir, 5-83-pounding.

When Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught behind by Carse, England had the momentum. Headingley’s performance made the 66 fight between Sudharsan and KL Rahul even more impressive.

Three days of fantastic, see-saw Test cricket that lived up to the two top-notch, evenly matched teams’ pre-match billing.

India responded similarly generously to England by giving them the opportunity to bat first. The visitors should have won more than 471 innings, but they instead fell short of what Brook had made with his no-ball reprieve, including three catches, three off Bumrah.

England can reflect on both their own wasted opportunities and recklessness as well as their own bravery.

The best and worst of Bazball were revealed on a stormy Sunday. After hitting a six in the over before the second new ball was due, Jaymie Smith threw himself into a bouncer trap, and Brook also received a bounce out.

In contrast, Woakes and Carse’s attacking intent stifled Indian minds and kept England afloat.

Brook, who was restored after England won by 209-3 on Saturday, began his Sunday game by extending his start to 15 balls. At the conclusion of the first over, he slashed Prasidh Krishna for four before belting six over the middle of the wicket, never looking back.

Ollie Pope missed his sixth ball of the day, pulling a cut off Krishna, while Stokes was circumspect for 20 before timidly poking Mohammed Siraj behind.

Brook had a lot of intentions. For their stand of 73, he danced down to hit Bumrah through the covers and found a similarly purposeful ally in Smith. Rishabh Pant, the wicketkeeper, spilled Brook on 46 against Ravindra Jadeja, and Jaiswal, the second pick, off Bumrah on 82.

Smith’s strong on-the-pull performance increased the difficulty of his surrender to Krishna on 40 via a relay catch between Jadeja and Sudharsan.

In a fierce duel with Siraj, Brook climbed into the second new ball despite losing Smith. It was disdainful to give one more blow to long-on for six. He top-edged Krishna into Shardul Thakur’s hands, leaving Headingley with a single drop away from three figures, and the disappointment was palpable. The 16th time an England player has been dismissed on 99 in a Test resulted in Brook throwing his head back in disbelief.

India was in control of the game at 430-3 on Saturday morning. Then, Gill slammed against Bashir, who had a great deal of success in the months that followed.

The slip cordon, which included retired Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, was their highest in a Test innings in five years.

Even though the seamers leaked boundaries and the great Bumrah did not quite live up to the standard he set on Saturday, which was a very high standard, spinner Jadeja was tidy.

The ball was repeatedly thrown away, with Pant eventually being denied by umpire Paul Reiffel after one attempt was denied. It was strange to bowl a bouncer plan to England’s eight and nine when the second new ball was taken.

India might have fallen to pieces with Carse if Jaiswal had pushed Carse out of the woods. Rahul followed his first-innings 42 with more attractive cover drives, while Sudharsan, on a pair, displayed great composure and was strong on the cut.

That late wicket at the end makes things even. We are aware that we have some runs to chase, but if we can maintain our current form, we are confident in putting together a high score.

Jasprit Bumrah, an Indian fast bowler, said, “The game is in the balance.” We must play well.

I always smile because I enjoy playing on the field. Nobody intentionally drops catches, which is sometimes difficult to catch due to the cold. I make an effort to advance quickly and not let it affect me.