• Ollie Pope slammed a sensational ton for England on Day 3 of the Hyderabad Test.

  • England finished the day at a score of 316/6 with a lead of 126 runs.

Twitter reactions: Ollie Pope’s rescue ton steers England out of danger as visitors bounce back against India on Day 3
Ollie Pope's rescue ton steers England out of danger (Image Source: Twitter

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The opening Test between India and England took an unexpected turn on Day 3, as the visitors made a brilliant comeback, thanks to the heroics of Ollie Pope. What seemed like a comfortable position for India after Day 2 turned into a thrilling contest, with England gaining a substantial lead courtesy of Pope’s exceptional performance that kept his side alive in the game.

India’s early hopes dashed

Resuming their innings at 421/7 on Day 3, India aimed to stretch their lead over England’s first innings score of 246. However, Joe Root‘s impressive bowling performance led to a quick wrap-up of the Indian innings at 436, giving England a challenging target of 190 runs to dissolve the lead.

England’s struggle and Ollie Pope’s resurgence

Facing a daunting task, England’s top-order batters put up a commendable fight, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett contributing 31 and 47 runs, respectively. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, putting the visitors in a tight spot. It was Pope who emerged as the saviour for England, playing a brilliant inning that not only dissolved the lead but also put his team in a fighting position.

Pope’s century and unconventional shots

Pope’s century (148*) was the highlight of the day, showcasing his class and determination. Scoring seventeen boundaries, Pope displayed a range of shots, including some brilliant unconventional reverse sweeps that kept the Indian bowlers on their toes. His partnership with Ben Foakes (34) further solidified England’s position before the wicketkeeper-batter fell victim to Axar Patel and the English side ended the day at a score of 316/6.

Also WATCH: Jasprit Bumrah bowls an absolute jaffa to send Ben Duckett’s off-stump for a walk in Hyderabad Test

Indian bowlers’ effort

Despite England’s resurgence, Indian bowlers Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja managed to bag three wickets each. Their efforts ensured that India remained in contention, setting the stage for an exciting and evenly poised encounter.

What lies ahead for both teams

The game is now on a knife’s edge, with England building a fighting lead and Pope unbeaten on the strike. The next phases of this captivating encounter promise an exciting battle between bat and ball.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Also WATCH: Ravichandran Ashwin scripts history in Hyderabad Test with splendid dismissal of Ben Stokes – IND vs ENG

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About the Author:
VISHWANATH HARIHARAN
Vishwanath Hariharan is Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. From breaking news stories to in-depth features and opinion pieces, he has covered a wide range of topics. Vishwanath is very fond of watching cricket. Like many others, he too grew up watching, playing, and imitating his favourite players of the game. MS Dhoni is like a demigod to him. You can connect with him at vishwanath.hariharan@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter & Linkedin.