Leeds, June 22 (IANS) KL Rahul oozed sheer elegance yet again in his cover drives to be unbeaten on 47 as India’s lead swelled to 96 runs against England after reaching 90/2 in 23.5 overs at stumps on day three of first Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Headingley on Sunday.

India had initially got a slender six-run lead by bowling out England for 465, with fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah picking magnificent figures of 5-83 – his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests – in 24.4 overs. Bumrah, who picked his third five-wicket haul in England, has also equalled the legendary Kapil Dev for the most fifers picked by a bowler for India in away Tests (12), as his spell ensured the match will be decided through a second innings shootout.

Rahul then got India’s second innings underway with great watchfulness before unleashing seven boundaries – four of which were via picture-perfect cover-drives to be unbeaten on 47. With skipper Shubman Gill unbeaten on six, India will be aiming to get more runs on day four after rain forced an early end to day three’s proceedings.

Brydon Carse gave England the early breakthrough when he got one to bounce and nip away while bowling from around the wicket and forced Yashasvi Jaiswal into poking at it, as the batter edged behind to Jamie Smith. While Sudharsan’s soft hands got him two early boundaries to get his Test runs tally going, Rahul was all class in his on-drive and cover-drive off Carse, before square-driving Josh Tongue and pulling Shoaib Bashir for his boundaries.

Sudharsan’s plan to play late and with soft hands fetched him two more boundaries and was even dropped by Ben Duckett at gully. But three overs before stumps, Sudharsan clipped an inswinger from Ben Stokes to midwicket, who took the catch with ease, as the England skipper dismissed him for the second time in the match. Rahul and Gill ensured there were no more fall of wickets before heading off the field with the game on a knife’s edge heading into the last two days.

Brief Scores: India 471 and 90/2 in 23.5 overs (KL Rahul 47 not out, B Sai Sudharsan 30; Ben Stokes 1-18, Brydon Carse 1-27) lead England 465 in 100.4 overs (Ollie Pope 106, Harry Brook 99; Jasprit Bumrah 5-83, Prasidh Krishna 3-128) by 96 runs

–IANS

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