Cricket: Can England catch up with India?

Leeds, August 24

A supremely confident India will look to tighten the noose around a struggling England and captain Virat Kohli will be expected to overcome his prolonged lean patch when the third Test of the five-match series begins here tomorrow.

Kohli’s last international hundred came in November 2019 and though he has scored a couple of 40s in the series so far, the expectations have always been sky-high from the modern great.

He looked a tad vulnerable around the off-stump in the first two Tests and one can expect him to present a tighter technique when the ball is pitched on the fourth stump at Headingley.

Joe Root, England Captain

The form of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had also been a cause of concern for India but that has been put to rest after the experienced duo batted for almost 50 overs on Day 4 of the Lord’s Test and were responsible for taking the game to the final day before the Indian pacers scripted a famous win.

The performance of openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul has been the biggest plus in the batting department. Both have showed remarkable temperament and technique in testing conditions to give the team a solid start. Rishabh Pant will play the way he plays and Ravindra Jadeja has also done a decent job at No. 7. It can be said that he is playing in the team more as a batsman than as a left-arm spinner.

With conditions expected to be cold and favourable for the pacers at Headingley, India are expected to retain the four-pronged pace attack, leaving no space for R Ashwin once again. Shardul Thakur is fully fit but it is unlikely that Kohli will make any changes in the pace attack which won India the game at the Lord’s. — PTI