3 talking points from Day 3 of the 3rd IND vs ENG Test ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal's flip of the switch
Team India roared back in commanding fashion on Day 3 of the third Test against England as they reached 196/2 by Stumps to put themselves well ahead of the game at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
With a rampaging Ben Duckett at the crease at the close of play on Day 2, the hosts needed to be at their absolute best. The short-handed side turned in an excellent display in both departments, with Yashasvi Jaiswal's excellent century giving them a lead of 322 runs.
India are now in a dominant position, with two days of play to come and enough batting in the shed to set an insurmountable target for the visitors. If they play their cards right, they should be able to take a series lead.
On that note, here are three talking points from Day 3 of the third Test between India and England.
#3 India's bowlers stepped up, and how
England reached Stumps on Day 2 at 207/2, with Duckett batting on 133. Ben Stokes and Co. had eight wickets in hand with plenty of firepower in the shed and seemed all set to challenge for a first-innings lead.
However, India were excellent in the first two sessions of Day 3. Kuldeep Yadav set the tone with a couple of wickets in the opening hours of play, while Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja struck in quick succession after Lunch to throw a spanner in England's works.
England lost their last eight wickets for just 95 runs to be bowled out for 319. Siraj was the star of the show as he kept things tight to pick up four wickets, making up for R Ashwin's absence on a surface he wasn't expected to be too effective on.
#2 Rajat Patidar might already have run out of time
India seemed headed towards an even better position in the third session. But Yashasvi Jaiswal retired hurt, bringing Rajat Patidar to the crease for the final few minutes of Day 3.
Patidar, however, walked back for a duck after a nervy 10 balls. He didn't seem to be able to adjust to the speed of the surface and was often sucked into shots on the up. That's how the middle-order batter was dismissed in the first innings as well, but he didn't learn from his mistake.
Patidar spooned a simple catch to midwicket off a rank long hop from Tom Hartley, slightly worsening India's hold over the Test. More tellingly, it was a major blow to the 30-year-old's immediate future in the side, with KL Rahul expected to be fit for the next match.
Patidar might already have run out of time to establish himself as someone who belongs at the international level.
#1 Yashasvi Jaiswal flips the switch between his two avatars to put India well ahead
Yashasvi Jaiswal made an attritional start to his second innings, scoring only 18 runs off his first 50 balls. At one point, he was on 35 off 73, with just three fours to his name. Soon, though, he flipped the switch.
Jaiswal took 14 runs off three balls in a James Anderson over and never looked back. He smacked Hartley for a couple of sixes in the next over, with the first one taking him to his fifty. The opener then reached the three-figure mark off 122 balls, giving India a considerable advantage in the Test.
Quite what prompted Jaiswal's sudden change of approach is unknown, but it was delightful to witness. The youngster has made an admirable start to his Test career and seems set to be around in all three formats for many years to come.