Twitter Reactions: England march into a winning position after day 3

Team India started the third day with slim hopes. They had Hanuma Vihari at the crease with Ravindra Jadeja and were 158 runs behind England’s score with 4 wickets in hand. The first challenge was to see through the initial half hour of play, then an hour, survive James Anderson and Stuart Broad’s spell. They did that very definitively. But despite Jadeja’s valiant 86* runs India were 40 runs in deficit. England built up on the lead with a strong batting response led by the man in focus Alastair Cook.

Vihari who looked really uncertain at the start of his debut Test innings was a lot more confident on day 2. He left the ball well, played some memorable shots and largely proved his selection right. As it turns out the team management was impressed with his defensive game and that got him a nod ahead of Karun Nair. The 24-year-old scored a fifty and has certainly enhanced his reputation.

Jadeja, on the other hand, also put up a real display of his batting prowess. He was measured and also played his shots. He put up a price tag on his wicket and was temperamentally determined to make it count and show everyone what he brings to the table. He produced up his 9th Test fifty and did his signature sword celebration. The left-hander carried on with the tail for company and added valuable runs.

He hit the spinners up and over and even dispatched one from Anderson over the bowlers head. Jadeja eventually lost all partners when he was on 86 and the Indian score was 292.

England in their response started off better. Keaton Jennings survived a few close calls, in desperation, India ended up exhausting both their reviews pretty early. Alastair Cook played and missed a lot of deliveries from Mohammed Shami but none of it carried the outside edge.

Jennings was dismissed shoulder-arming an incoming delivery from Shami and Moeen Ali after looking good for a while fell to one from Jadeja that spun big from the rough. Joe Root played a few delightful shots towards the end and with five boundaries and is batting on 29 along with Cook at the other end who is on the brink of another half century (46) in the last knock of his international career. At stumps on day 3 England have a lead of 154 runs with 8 wickets in hand.

Here is how Twitterati responded to the action all through the day:

Top knock on ur debut test match welldone bro @Hanumavihari keep going many more to come 🇮🇳👏👏👏😊

— Rahul Sharma (@ImRahulSharma3) September 9, 2018

Cook playing his last inn for @ECB_cricket I think jennings also played his last inn for England for a while at least @SkyCricket 5th Test #ENGvIND what r ur thoughts guys ??

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 9, 2018

Ishant has to go wider of the crease, closer to the Return crease to avoid creating foot marks for Moeen Ali. #ENGvIND

— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) September 9, 2018

Virat is the best Batsman in the World .. #Fact .. Virat is the worst reviewer in the World .. #Fact #ENGvsIND

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 9, 2018

Alastair Cook…one final time. Perhaps, one final session. Modern Day Legend…. #respect #engvind

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 9, 2018

Well done @imjadeja should have played earlier in the series things could have been different.. 4 wickets and a brilliant 50.. keep going pal

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 9, 2018

Love the way @imjadeja plays the game … Somehow India have to find a way to play him all the time … Great skills … #ENGvIND

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 9, 2018

For a lad who’s played at Durham & Lancashire he should have a better technique when the balls moving about…..he’s not good enough, move on!

— Sir Geoff Boycott (@SirGeoffBoycott) September 9, 2018

In spite of a really good comeback, India still behind in this test match.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 9, 2018

Cook nudging & nurdling 45 runs in over 3hrs is his perfect farewell innings.
I'll miss the great entertainer when he's gone. pic.twitter.com/162WV6c1do

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 9, 2018

Since Alastair Cook made his Test debut, he has hit more ones, twos, threes and fours than any other Test player. 102 players have hit more sixes than him in that time. #ENGvIND

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 9, 2018

England have had a good session. They will be in no hurry to force a decision. That is India's job now.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 9, 2018