Leeds: Harry Brook ran out of luck on 99 before Jasprit Bumrah completed a well deserved five wicket haul to ensure a slender six run first innings lead for India, who bowled out England for 465 in an extended afternoon session on day three of the first Test here on Sunday.
Before Bumrah castled Josh Tongue to end England innings, Chris Woakes (38 off 55) punished a predictable Indian pace attack to take his team close to India’s 471. England’s tail virtually cancelled out the Indian first innings with the match now hinged on third and fourth innings respectively.
Hosts continued to find the boundaries at will as they collected 138 runs in 23.4 overs in the afternoon session with the loss of five wickets.
Prasidh Krishna removed Jamie Smith (40 off 52) and Brook (99 off 112) with the short ball but leaked too many runs at the same time with his one dimensional tactic, conceding 128 runs in 20 overs.
Bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur was under bowled again, raising questions over his selection. Bumrah, who has by far been the best Indian bowler on display, picked up his 14th fifer in the longest format ending with figures of 5/83 in 24.4 overs.
India’s fielding have been their weakest link so far in the game and having been give two lives, Brook was dropped again, on 82, by Yashasvi Jaiswal off Bumrah.
The explosive England batter however could not use those chances to score a famous hundred and was dismissed on 99 in the 88th over. India had taken the new ball after 80 overs but were not able to make good use of it.
Towards the end of the session, Woakes, who has a Test hundred to his name (against India in 2018), smashed successive off short balls from Krishna, one a clean hit over mid-wicket, the other a guide in the third man region.
Captain Shubman Gill made questionable calls like introducing Ravindra Jadeja towards the end of the session and bringing back Bumrah for a late burst.
Earlier, Brook went on the offensive against an inconsistent Indian pace attack, taking England to 327 for five at lunch.
Resuming at an overnight 209 for three, Brook ensured that England scored at a brisk pace, totalling 118 runs in 28 overs.
The visitors got two welcome wickets of overnight centurion Ollie Pope (106 off 137) and England captain Ben Stokes (20 off 52).
Like day two, the other Indian pacers could not match the accuracy of Bumrah.
Brook, dismissed off a Bumrah no ball at the stroke of stumps on day two, was dropped by wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant on 46 shortly before lunch. Jadeja, who was able to extract sharp turn from the rough, got one to turn away sharply but Pant could not hold on to the rising ball.
In the same over, Brook completed his 12th Test fifty, adding to the frustration of the Indians who have been sloppy with their catching thus far in the game. Led by captain Shubman Gill, the Indians were also very vocal about their issues with a worn out Dukes ball throughout the session.
The umpires relented before the 75th over while the new ball will be due after 80 overs.
The session belonged to the highly rated Brook who produced a display of audacious strokeplay from the get go.
Krishna offered two loose balls in the first over of the day and Brook duly put them for a four through point and six off over mid-wicket.
Brook’s tactics against the pacers, including Bumrah, stood out as he charged down to them for aerial drives over extra cover.
Krishna, in his following over, was lucky to get Pope out as the England number three edged a short and wide ball to the keeper.
India’s second success came after the first hour as Siraj had Stokes caught behind from round the wicket.
