Birmingham: India bowled out England for 284 to take a healthy first-innings lead of 132 runs on the third day of the Birmingham Test. Jonny Bairstow took the attack back to the opposition camp with a gritty century before being sent back at 106 by Mohammad Shami. Bairstow went hard at a full delivery outside off edging it to Kohli at first slip who took a sharp catch with his fingers pointing up. England wrere all out for 284 with Siraj wrapping up the tail after getting the prized wicket of Joe Root early on, and ending with the bowling figures of 11.3 overs, 66 runs and 4 wickets.
Earlier Stokes (25) and England's man of the moment Bairstow added 66 for the sixth wicket before Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah produced a moment of inspiration on the field, taking a diving screamer off Thakur's bowling to dismiss his opposite number. The dismissal couldn't have come at a more opportune time for India after an attacking field seemed counter-productive as seven boundaries came between overs 33 and 36.
In fact, in a spell of 10 minutes, Stokes was dropped twice, first by Shardul, who couldn't latch on to a skier when the English skipper had shimmied down the track only to mistime it. The second chance was off the delivery before the dismissal when he flat-batted Shardul straight to Bumrah at mid-off and to everyone's horror, he missed a regulation catch.
But instead of being discreet, Stokes did a repeat act only to find that the Indian skipper holding on to a much tougher chance. For Bairstow (12x4, 2x6), who seemed to be struggling during the final hour on second day, did play and miss during the first 20 minutes. Former India skipper Virat Kohli had something to say to Bairstow about his 'play and miss' game and the England batter wasn't someone to take the stuff lying down.
Post that altercation, Bairstow started chancing his arms as he played a lot of lofted shots over mid-off and clipped a few towards mid-wicket boundary.
While Thakur got the prized scalp of Stokes, Bairstow did hand him some harsh punishment with a ramp shot followed by a square drive. There was also a regal pick-up pull for maximum off Mohammed Siraj's bowling. (Agency inputs)
