The India vs. England 1st Test at Headingley, Leeds, continued to provide edge-of-the-seat cricket on Day 3, June 22, 2025, as part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship. India, under Shubman Gill, kept their hold on the match, with the day ending at 90/2 in their second innings, ahead by 96 runs. Jasprit Bumrah's ball play brilliance and KL Rahul's bat play composure were the pick of the day, though the rain made an early intervention to cut short the day's play. As starexch supporters prepare for Day 4, here is a review of action on Day 3 and a preview of what tomorrow has in store.

Day 3 Review: Bumrah's Heroics and Rahul's Resolve

Day 3 was a seesaw, with India's bowlers, headed by Jasprit Bumrah, fighting back after a collapse in batting, as England's Harry Brook and Ollie Pope kept the home team in contention. Rain spoilt the party, shortening the day and making the game nicely poised.

India's First Innings Collapse: Having reached 359/3, India scored 112 further runs but crumbled miserably, losing the remaining seven wickets for 41 runs to reach 471. Shubman Gill got out for an exquisite 147 (156 balls) to Josh Tongue, and Rishabh Pant's riveting 134 (143 balls, including a six off Shoaib Bashir) was brought to an end in contentious fashion when he played no shot to Tongue and was given lbw after a referral. Ravindra Jadeja (11) and Karun Nair (0) were dismissed cheaply, with Ben Stokes (4/66) and Tongue (4/86) taking eight wickets between them. Sachin Tendulkar complimented Pant's innovative paddle sweep, but Cheteshwar Pujara pointed out that cloudy weather helped England bowlers and led to India's collapse.

Bumrah's Five-For Steals the Show: The Indian bowlers regained their footing, with Jasprit Bumrah producing a sensational 5/83, his third five-wicket haul in England. Despite dropped catches—Ben Duckett twice early and Harry Brook on 46 and 80—Bumrah got rid of Zak Crawley (0), Joe Root (for the 10th time in Tests), and others, though a no-ball denied him Brook's wicket towards the end of the innings. England managed to reach 465, six runs short of India's 471, on the back of Ollie Pope's 106 and Brook's 99. Support came from Prasidh Krishna (3 wickets) and Mohammed Siraj (2 wickets), but Dinesh Karthik bemoaned Gill's failure to use Shardul Thakur more, who conceded 38 in six overs. Nasser Hussain said that fielding errors and collapse by India allowed England to get back into the game.

India's Second Innings: India's second innings began wobbly, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) edging Brydon Carse to Jamie Smith. KL Rahul (47* off 75 balls) and Sai Sudharsan (30 off 48), however, calmed the ship with a partnership of 66. Stokes opened up, getting Sudharsan through a trap at short mid-wicket, but Rahul's serenity, appreciated by Michael Vaughan, made India solid. Rain fell at 6:04 PM local time, precipitating early stumps with India 90/2, ahead by 96 runs. Shoaib Bashir's seam-up spell (with a maiden to Rahul) began to make an impression, but Gill (6* off 10) was given a nervous scare as he was beaten by Bashir's straighter ball.

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Key Moment: Bumrah's five-for, in spite of India's fielding mishaps, provided a slender cushion, with Rahul's calm 47* paving the way for Day 4. The rain-marred conclusion left **視点

Starexch Buzz**: Starexch communities were in a buzz of admiration for Bumrah's "absolute champion" spell (Mark Butcher) and India's wasted catches, with users such as Suyog commenting on how India needed a 300-run cushion against England's Bazball strategy.

Day 4 Preview: A Pivotal Day Awaits

India's Plan: With a 96-run advantage and KL Rahul (47*) and Shubman Gill (6*) remaining, India will look to create a huge lead, going for 300–350 runs to make the fourth-innings chase tricky. The Headingley surface, which aids seamers in the early part but flattens out, might suit batting on a bright day, enabling Rishabh Pant (at No. 5) and Ravindra Jadeja to drive hard. If India declare soon, Bumrah and Co. will try to make use of morning conditions against England's ball-hitting top order. Starexch fans want to know if Gill chooses Kuldeep Yadav's spin or holds on to seamers like Prasidh Krishna and Siraj, considering Thakur's poor Day 3.

England's Game Plan: England would try to make early inroads with the second new ball and Stokes and Woakes would be the leaders in this regard. Shoaib Bashir's spin would be a larger factor if the pitch does crack, as Stuart Broad has forecasted. In batting, England's Bazball plan—designed by Duckett, Pope, Root, and Brook—will pursue any target with aggression, but Bumrah casts his shadow. Ollie Pope reiterated playing late and square-scoring to negate swing, a strategy Starexch users anticipate Root to use.

Weather Forecast: Day 4 is expected to be partly cloudy with a likelihood of light showers, according to local reports. A day's worth of play is vital for both sides, as rain could push the game in the direction of a draw. Starexch chats focus on the need to make the most of playtime.

Players of Interest:

KL Rahul (India): His 47* is reflective of composure, and Vaughan considers him pivotal to India's chances. Can he stabilize a big lead?

Shubman Gill (India): Following a first-innings 147, Gill's captaincy and batting will face the test.

Jasprit Bumrah (India): His 5/83 makes him India's X-factor, according to Krishnamoorthy V.

Ben Stokes (England): His 4/66 and wicket of Sudharsan make him England's all-round master trump card.

Why Starexch Enhances Your Experience

Starexch is the ultimate destination for cricket enthusiasts, providing live score updates, player performance, and vibrant discussions. Witness Rahul's classy drives, Bumrah's intense spells, or Brook's near-century heroics with analysis of their form—such as Jaiswal's 1,798 WTC runs or Pope's back-to-back hundreds. Discuss with the Starexch community India's lead target or England's chase possibilities to make each moment of this Test match unforgettable.

Conclusion

Day 3 was won by India owing to Bumrah's brilliance and Rahul's determination, but England's resurgence, led by Pope and Brook, kept the match in the balance. Day 4 might tip the scales, as India looks to get a 300+ lead while England hopes for early blows or a daredevil chase. Catch the action at 3:30 PM IST on June 23 and join Starexch to remain hooked to this exciting Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy duel!