Summary

Boundaries, flying bats and dropped catches - Pant's 'box office' innings

Live Reporting

by Timothy Abraham, Elizabeth Botcherby & Karan Vinod

  1. How's stat?!

    Ashwanth R Kavuluri
    Cricviz analyst

    Today, England's pacers bowled on a good line and length 38% of the time and attacked the stumps 16% of the time.

    However, since Rishabh Pant's arrival in the 30th over, England have bowled 68% of deliveries on a short length (compared to just 33% before), only 18% on a good line and length, and hit the stumps just 9% of the time. It’s safe to say that Pant has been successful in forcing the English attack to change their tactics.

  2. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    He's made that look so easy. Josh Tongue is banging it in, seam is presented and the slips are in and Rishabh Pant has dispatched it.

  3. Ind 224-3

    India lead by 404 runs

    There's the Rishabh Pant we know and love!

    With a smooth golf swing, he pummels Josh Tongue for six to take India's lead above 400.

    'It has gone miles!' - Pant hits Tongue for six

    StokesReuters
  4. 50 runs

    Fifty for Rishabh Pant

    'He's hit some fabulous shots' - Pant reaches 50

    Rishabh Pant is making England pay for dropping him on 10.

    He reaches his half-century in understated fashion, running a single, and has taken 48 balls to get there.

  5. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    If I were India, I wouldn't be wanting to bowl with a 30-over ball tomorrow morning. My thinking isn't England having too many overs, I am tactically thinking how can I take 10 wickets. Having a 12-15 over burst this evening with the new ball and that gives you a second bite at the cherry tomorrow morning with bowlers having a good night's sleep.

  6. Ind 214-3

    Rishabh Pant looks for a single off the final ball of the over but Josh Tongue gets down sharply at short third.

    We'll have to wait to see if he will go after Tongue as Karan and Shubman Gill have indicated, with Gill on strike for the next over.

    Shoaib Bashir has done a decent job of holding up an end since lunch.

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    GillGetty Images

    Fi: Draw at best for England by the looks of it. How brave will India’s declaration be? Good for the series that England are being made to work hard. Bowling attack is biggest question mark. Needs more pace.

    Matt: We have a serious lack of bowling talent which is worrying going into an Ashes winter. Could be a long winter for us.

    Arjun: How many do India need to be certain? 500?

  8. Ind 212-3

    200 has come and gone for India. Their lead is closing in on 400.

    Karan, keeping a keen ear on the stump mic, says Shubman Gill has given Rishabh Pant the green light to go after Josh Tongue.

    England have successfully campaigned for the ball to be changed.

    If you were India, what sort of lead would you be happy with?

  9. 50 runs

    Fifty for Shubman Gill

    'Yet another lovely knock' - Gill reaches half-century

    Another short ball. Another hook. Another six for Shubman Gill.

    And with a four off the penultimate ball of the over, he's reached 50 off 57 balls.

    It's been quite the acceleration since lunch. He started the session on 24 (41).

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    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    The best players in history drop catches from time to time: 20 years on, I recall Shane Warne dropping Kevin Pietersen at The Oval. The issue is more that Zak Crawley, for all his immense talent, is increasingly not justifying his place in the side. (Hoping he proves me wrong with a hundred in the next innings!)

    Che, West Bridgford, Notts.

    'What happened there?' - Pant dropped by Crawley at mid-off

    Why must England keep going to the short-ball tactic? It’s awful to watch and regularly results in us getting pummelled! This could be a very long, albeit entertaining, afternoon.

    Andrew in Preston.

    I think this could be a perfect test for this England team. They’ve a series lead to protect, the pitch is good but not doing much, there’s no Jasprit Bumrah, so show us how ‘Bazball with Brains’ works and set out to bat four sessions for a hard-earned draw.

    Joe in Esher

  11. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This is nice bowling conditions if you've got a brand new ball in your hand. The ball has moved around all session long. They are trying to hammer the ball in and believe that's the best way to dismiss Shubman Gill. We'll see how that goes.

  12. Ind 199-3

    A low octane over from Shoaib Bashir. A couple of singles before Rishabh Pant calmly plays out three dot balls.

  13. Andy Zaltzman
    Test Match Special statistician

    Best shots from Gill's record-breaking 269 against England

    Shubman Gill runs in this Test is only the 13th time a player has reached 300 runs in a Test in England. The last to do it is Joe Root against Pakistan and the last visiting player was South Africa's Hashim Amla.

  14. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    It's a bizarre field. It'd be a decent back four in football on the on side.

    It's a thankless task as a bowler here. Things can really escalate and Josh Tongue is banging it in and asking Shubman Gill to take it on.

  15. Ind 197-3

    India lead by 377 runs

    Gill hits Tongue for 14 off three consecutive balls

    Alas, those fielders are powerless as Shubman Gill hooks Josh Tongue for six.

    The next ball goes over mid-on for four. Oh and then there's a mis-field from Ben Stokes, with the ball going right through his legs. Four more. Time for some long barrier practise, Ben.

    The short ball treatment isn't really working.

  16. Matthew Henry
    BBC Sport journalist at Edgbaston

    Six fielders on the leg side, including four in a line from wide mid-on to leg gully.

  17. Ind 183-3

    Rishabh Pant's four is followed by a couple of singles as India keep the scoreboard ticking.

    The batters meet at the end of the over. Touch bats, touch gloves once, twice, and back to their respective ends.

    Josh Tongue will bowl to Shubman Gill.

  18. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Shoaib Bashir has tried to bowl that quick there but it's too short and wide. Not a great start for Bashir in the afternoon session.

  19. Ind 181-3

    Rishabh Pant picks up where he left off.

    Short, wide, and cut through backward point for four. He'll gobble those up all day.

  20. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    India have grabbed this opportunity by the scruff of the neck.