With India leading the series 1-0, England will host the visitors in the third Test of the five-match series at Headingley, Leeds from Wednesday.
After a riveting Test at Lord’s full of drama, which concluded with India outplaying England to go 1-0 up in the series, the two teams will now head to Headingley for a much important clash from August 25.
The Virat Kohli-led team has been sensational in overseas Tests for a while now. After winning the series in Australia, they were in a dominant position in the first Test at Trent Bridge before the rain spoiled the party on the fifth day.
In the second Test, the visitors saw a spectacular turnaround after being in a critical situation. India’s pace bowlers – Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah – bailed them out with the bat in hand, after which the pace quartet ran through England under two sessions to register a memorable victory.
Joe Root’s England are in a bad space and have been vulnerable for a long time. The injuries of Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and the absence of Ben Stokes has only weakened them further.
Apart from Root, no English batter has stepped up, leaving the batting line-up extremely weak. They have been bowled out inside two sessions twice in two series now. After a humiliating defeat at Lord’s, the hosts are expected to make a few changes.
The third Test will be crucial for England to level the series and keep it alive. On the other hand, India will be all charged up to take a 2-0 lead, from where they can’t lose the series. One thing for sure, the viewers are in for an action-packed, spicy match at Headingley.
Key Players
Jasprit Bumrah, India’s premier pacer in all three formats, has delivered for the team time and again in his four-year career. After a brief period of average returns, Bumrah made a terrific comeback in this series with 4/46 & 5/64 in the first Test. He played a crucial role in India’s victory at Lord’s, first with the bat and then with three crucial wickets of Burns, Root and Robinson on the fifth day. His 12 wickets in this series have come at a sublime average of 18.50. In his overall Test career, Bumrah has taken 95 wickets at an impressive average of 22.62, including six five-wicket hauls.
Joe Root has surpassed other legends to be the greatest batter in England’s Test cricket history. This year, the England skipper has carried the batting unit on his own, amassing the runs thrice the next best has scored. He has scored 1277 runs in 10 matches this year at an average of 67.21, including five centuries. Root has scored 386 runs in the first two games of the ongoing series with the help of two back to back centuries. Looking so secured at the crease in testing conditions against one of the greatest bowling attacks of all time has elevated Root’s stature. He has scored 9100 career runs at an average of 50.
KL Rahul has seen a remarkable turnaround in his Test cricket fortunes during this series. The stylish righ- hand batter has shown immense control and class at the top of the order, giving the team a solid platform. Rahul has scored 244 runs in this series at an average of 61, including the ‘player of the match’ performance of 129 in the last game. In his overall career, he has scored 2250 runs in 38 Tests at an average of 36.29. With form on his side, Rahul will be a key figure for India in the remaining matches.
Arguably the greatest seamer ever, James Anderson is the third-highest wicket-taker in Test history and is in the spinners’ territory. The 39-year-old has 622 wickets in 164 matches at an average of 26.57, including 31 five-wicket hauls. Anderson has only improved over the years and continues to be England’s lead pacer. He has been sublime this series too, picking 9 wickets in two matches at 20.11 runs per wicket. In the absence of Archer and Broad, England will once again look up to Anderson to bowl the visitors out.
Prediction
England have dominated the scoreline against India in the overall history with 48 wins and 30 losses. However, the rivalry has been a lot more fierce in the last two decades. India have been unbeaten in the last five contests, with four victories and a draw.
India are in sublime form and would be fired up after the second match. Their pace quartet has been magnificent, while the batting unit has been held together by opening batters. Pujara and Rahane finding form is also great news for the visitors.
England are in a complete mess with batters not stepping up and the bowling unit struggling with injuries. With nine days to regroup themselves, expect a fightback from England, but India will head into the game as favourites.
