Indian bowlers tried their socks off but didn't get much help from the wicket: Dawid Malan

The script has so far gone horribly wrong for India in the ongoing third Test match against England in Leeds. Only the coin toss has gone in the favor of India. England are already in the driver’s seat as they have got a humungous lead of 345 runs on stumps on day two.

The English top four batters registered their respective fifties and had a good day on a pitch that nicely flattened out. Dawid Malan, who returned to the Test team after a gap of two years and made the opportunity as he scored 70 runs.

The southpaw looked in decent nick and added 139 runs with his skipper Joe Root which laid the foundation for a huge total. The pitch changed massively after the first day’s play and, suddenly, there was no movement for the India pacers as they toiled hard and got very less reward in return. Malan though lauded the efforts of the pacers, who ran hard and gave their 100%.

“The wicket changed massively from the first day the first hour when they were batting,” the 33-year-old Malan said in a virtual press conference after the end of the second day’s play.

“I would not say they were flat with their bowling. They absolutely ran in and tried their socks off. They asked a lot of questions probably didn’t get that much help from the wicket,” the left-hander said.

Dawid Malan effusive in praise of Joe Root

Yet again, Indian bowlers could not manage to dismiss Joe Root, who yet again scored a classy 121. The right-hand batter was simply unstoppable and attacked from the word go. Malan was all praise for his skipper, who has now six hundreds in the calendar year.

“He scores runs all the time, and with the ease and the speed with which he does, it is quite fantastic. He has led from the front again as he has done in the Test series so far, all credit goes to him,” Malan said showering praise on his skipper. “He moves his feet so well, the ball position where he hits the ball is so good. He hits the ball so much late than most people, he always looks to score.