India vs England 2016: 5 Talking Points from the 3rd Test in Mohali

Jadeja and Kohli managed to get under England’s skin with their showmanship

This was always going to be the tipping point of the series. After a drab draw in Rajkot and a dominant Indian victory in Vizag, England desperately needed a positive result from the third Test in Mohali in order to stay afloat.

They were unable to rise to the occasion upon being pushed on the backfoot right from the word go. With their latest spin trio showing the way in both departments, India surged to a clinical eight-wicket victory and the resultant 2-0 lead with two more matches still to play.

Here are five major talking points from the fascinating encounter at the PCA Stadium.

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#5 Win the toss and win the match, not quite so

Cook could not capitalise on his two reprieves in the first innings

The toss does make an impact in the game, even more so in the subcontinent. However, relying on the coin alone may not propel a team’s fortunes at this level. After harping on the importance of the toss for quite some time, England will now have to acknowledge the necessity of taking advantage of it as well.

On a fresh surface without any noticeable inundation, they could only manage a below-par total in the first innings which eroded their luck with the coin. Interestingly, the concurrently running second Test between New Zealand and Pakistan in Hamilton also gave a perfect illustration of the gratuitous emphasis on the toss.