India is all set to win the third test match being played at Trent Bridge.
After two defeats in the first two matches of five matches Test Series in England, India is on the brink of sealing its first test victory of this summer in England at Trent Bridge.
On the fourth day of the third Test, English opening batsmen Cook and Jennings came on to the crease to chase the mammoth target.
But as the day passed by, English batsmen got crippled against the fast bowling attack of India.
Though, Ben Stokes and Jos Butler built a good partnership keeping alive the hope for the team.
However, as soon as Jasprit Bumrah got Jos Butler out, who hit the century, the collapse of English batsmen started one after another with Jasprit Bumrah taking the second five-wicket haul of his test career.
Though India could have won this test match on the fourth day itself, however the lower order batsmen Broad, Rashid and Anderson showed some resilience and took the game to the fifth day.
Adil Rashid and James Anderson are still on the crease as India need only one wicket to win this test match.
Unlike two earlier Test matches, team India have performed really well in all the departments. Especially the main concern of Indian batsmen, except Virat Kohli, being out of the form seems to have got resolved to a great extent with the Rahane and Pujara getting back to their forms in the first and second innings respectively.
Shikhar Dhawan, who returned to the playing eleven in place of Murali Vijay also seem to have been learning from his mistakes of the past.
The young debutant Rishbah Pant also seem to be very promising with both bat and gloves.
Hardik Pandya’s scintillating performance with both bat and bowl have shut his critics up for while, thus putting a rest on the debate over his place in the playing eleven for some time now.
The fast bowling unit have also delivered every time the team needed the most, with Bumrah emerging as new star especially in the overseas conditions.
The experienced Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami have been able to get the quick breakthrough to the team.
Ravi Chandran Ashwin also troubled the batsmen despite not being completely physically fit.
The only batsman who hasn’t been able to leave the positive mark in this test was Lokesh Rahul.
Though, his shrewd and quick skills to catch the ball in the slip have been very instrumental in India reaching close to the victory.
However, undoubtedly, he has neither been able to live up to the expectation of his captain and team management not has he been able to do the justice to his true potential.
As India wins this game, he is likely to be retained in the playing eleven for the fourth test match as he has the backing of both coach and captain. But Rahul will have to prove his mettle his bat in order to cement his position in the team.
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