England skipper Joe Root
Skipper Joe Root batted like a dream -- notching up his 23rd Test hundred -- while Dawid Malan struck a sublime fifty in his comeback game as England piled misery on India to reach 423/8 on day two of the third Test on Thursday.
Runs came thick and fast for England in most parts of the day as the Indian bowling unit appeared toothless at Headingley, both with the old and new ball. The hosts ended the day with a hefty 345-run lead, with Craig Overton (24) and Ollie Robinson (0) present in the middle.
The 30-year-old Root, who scored his third successive hundred of the ongoing series, put his side in the driver's seat after they bundled out India for a partly 78 on opening day. His perfectly-timed straight drive against Mohammed Siraj to move into the 90s was a glimpse of the English skipper's skill-set and current form.
En route his brisk ton comprising 12 boundaries, Root broke the record of most runs scored by an England captain in a calendar year. Root and Malan (70 off 128) shared a 139-run stand off 189 balls before the southpaw picked up a faint edge while trying to flick Mohammad Siraj at the stroke of tea.
Indian pacers, who scripted a memorable win at Lord's, bowled too many boundary balls and the England duo was quick to put them away. The pitch seems to have eased out considerably for the batsman after India collapsed to 78 all out on day one.
Root, who had been singlehandedly carrying the batting responsibilities, got much need support from Malan, who has made an instant impact in his first Test in three years.
Malan played some delightful strokes and was brutal as well as elegant on the off-side. Besides the cover drives and rasping cut shots, he also effectively used the glide to third man region.
In the morning session, India struck twice but it was not enough to put England under pressure. England managed to score 62 runs in the session, taking their first innings to score 182 for two having started the day at 120 for no loss.
Shami, coming round the wicket, removed Rory Burns (61 off 153) in the first hour of play with a ball that nipped back in sharply to hit the top of the off-stump.
India got a much needed second wicket against the run of play when Ravindra Jadeja struck in his first over of the day with a beauty. The left-arm spinner got one to straighten slightly from middle and off-stump to beat a well-set Haseeb Hameed (68 off 195) and kiss the bails for his first wicket of the series.
Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 78 all out in 40.4 overs (Rohit Sharma 19, Ajinkya Rahane 18; James Anderson 3/6, Craig Overton 3/14).
England 1st innings: 423 for 8 in 129 overs (Joe Root 121, Mohammed Shami 3/87).
(With PTI Inputs)
