- India,
- 22-Jun-2025 11:40 AM IST
IND vs ENG: The first match of the five-match Test series between India and England at the historic ground of Leeds has reached a very exciting turn. By the end of the second day's play, while India's first innings was reduced to 471 runs, England scored 209 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in the reply innings. England is still 262 runs behind India and the third day's play can prove to be decisive for both the teams.Ollie Pope looked in great rhythm for England and remained unbeaten on 100 runs till the end of the day's play. Harry Brook is still present at the crease with him without opening the account. The start of the third day is considered important to strengthen England's innings.Weather can become a hindrance in the gameThe weather on the third day remains a matter of concern for cricket fans and both the teams. According to the AccuWeather report, the maximum temperature in Leeds will be around 21 degrees Celsius, but there is an 87 percent chance of cloudy weather. Apart from this, the probability of rain is about 65 percent, due to which there is a possibility of frequent interruptions in the game on the third day. On the second day also, rain stopped the match for a while.Indian bowlers expected to perform betterThe Indian team performed brilliantly in batting and scored a huge score of 471 runs, but the team has not been completely effective in bowling so far. Only Jasprit Bumrah has been successful in taking wickets so far. He gave early blows to England by taking three important wickets, including the wicket of Joe Root. But other bowlers like Mohammad Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur have been seen yearning for wickets so far.In the first session of the third day, the Indian team will have to make a new strategy, because if England makes a strong partnership, then the match can turn completely. India will have to build pressure by taking wickets in the opening session.The third day will decide the direction of the resultThe importance of the third day of the Leeds Test is determined by the fact that this day can change the course of the match. On one hand, England is lagging behind in its first innings, on the other hand, India will have to send the English batsmen to the pavilion as soon as possible to strengthen its lead. But all this will also depend on the weather.In this way, the third day of the Leeds Test is going to be full of excitement and uncertainty for cricket lovers. All eyes are now on the sky and Bumrah's bowling.