Brook , Smith , Siraj takes the honours on an explosive roller coaster 3rd day of 2nd test

The third day of the Edgbaston Test between India and England saw momentum shift repeatedly. At times, Shubman Gill and company dominated; at others, England fought back hard. But as stumps were drawn, it was India who held the upper hand. After piling up 587 runs in their first innings, India bowled England out for 407. Despite six English batters being dismissed for ducks, the hosts managed to cross the 400-run mark. At the end of Day 3, India were 64/1 in their second innings, leading by 244 runs with 9 wickets in hand.

The day began with a double strike from Mohammed Siraj, who dismissed Joe Root and Ben Stokes off consecutive deliveries, leaving England reeling at 84 for 5. Root was caught down leg side & Stokes got an unplayable delivery that reared up & took the edge .  But a massive & explosive 303-run partnership between Harry Brook and keeper Jamie Smith for the sixth wicket brought England back into the contest. Brook scored a brilliantly dazzling  158, while Smith remained unbeaten on an explosive 184—falling short of a highly deserving  double century due to a lack of support from the lower order. Eventually, it was Siraj and Bengal pacer Akash Deep who ended England’s resistance and tilted the match back in India’s favor.

However, the pressure Siraj created in the morning  wasn’t sustained by the other Indian bowlers. Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar failed to deliver as expected, with Prasidh leaking runs at an alarming rate. Despite being the highest wicket-taker in the IPL, Prasidh’s performance in Tests is under scrutiny. His over-reliance on short balls, even when being attacked, allowed Smith to repeatedly pull and score freely. This could raise questions about why Arshdeep Singh was overlooked in his place.

In the 32nd over of England’s innings, Smith plundered 23 runs off Prasidh, including one six, four boundaries, and a wide. The Brook-Smith pair capitalized on India’s bowling lapses and put up a commanding stand. Brook’s innings featured 17 fours and a six, while Smith struck 21 fours and four sixes—putting India under significant pressure for a large part of the day.

India bounced back with the second new ball. Siraj and Akash Deep exploited the fresh conditions to perfection, triggering a dramatic collapse. After Brook was dismissed by Akash, England's last five wickets fell for just 20 runs. Akash also accounted for Chris Woakes (5), while Siraj cleaned up Brydon Carse (0), Josh Tongue (0), and Shoaib Bashir (0). From 387/5, England were bowled out for 407. Siraj, returning to his best, finished with 6 wickets for 70 runs, and Akash Deep took 4 for 88.

With a 180-run first innings lead, India began their second innings with intent. At stumps, they were 64/1. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a breezy 28, while KL Rahul (28*) and Karun Nair (7*) remained unbeaten. Jaiswal's dismissal sparked brief controversy—he was adjudged LBW to Tongue but failed to opt for DRS within the 15-second time window. Although England captain Ben Stokes protested, the on-field umpires still referred it upstairs, and the third umpire upheld the decision—averting a major controversy.

If India fails to win this Test, the blame would largely fall on the bowlers. With Jaiswal and Rahul putting up a 51-run opening stand at a brisk pace, India scored 64 in just 13 overs—at a run rate of 4.92. If they can bat for just another hour after lunch on Day 4, a 400-run lead is within reach. That would put England under immense pressure to save the match, and India can realistically push for a win by bowling them out within a day and a half.