India vs England, 1st Test Day 3: KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja fifties, tail enders help tourists take 95-run lead

Nottingham, Aug 6: KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja slammed brilliant half-centuries but their knocks were in stark contrast to each other as India posted a decent 278 in the first innings and took a sizeable 95-run lead here at Trent Bridge on Friday (August 6).

Rahul - who made it to the playing eleven as a replacement to his Karanataka teammate Mayank Agarwal - made most of his return to Test cricket and emerged as the stand out performer with the bat for the Indians. The right-handed batsman - who opened the innings for India - scored a magnificent half-century and proved why he's rated so highly.

Rahul constructed his innings brilliantly and prevented the star-studded English pace attack from triggering India's collapse. While his teammates Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli fell cheaply on day two thanks to the imperious spell from their most-decorated bowler James Anderson, Rahul stood guard.

The talented batsman began the play on day three with Rishabh Pant but lost his overnight partner early in the rain-hit morning session. With Pant gone, Rahul forged a brilliant partnership with Ravindra Jadeja.

After surviving a few dropped chances, Rahul was dismissed for 84 by another beauty bowled by Anderson who surpassed India spin legend Anil Kumble's 619 Test wickets and took his tally to 620. Once Rahul departed, Jadeja took the onus on to himself and started scoring quickly and went on notching up his 16th Test fifty. The left-handed batsman smashed some brilliant boundaries and a six in his knock of 56 off 86.

Later, India's tail also wagged and frustrated the English bowlers as lower-order batsmen Mohammed Shami (13), Jasprit Bumrah (28) and Mohammed Siraj (7*) added 51 runs for the last two wickets and took their team past the 250-run mark. It was their batting that helped the tourists take a good 95-run lead.

Ollie Robinson, playing his second Test, was the pick of the bowlers for England as he returned with a five-for in the first innings. The right-arm quick (5/85) and Anderson (4/54) were the only high positives with the ball for the hosts. Pacers Stuart Broad and Sam Curran remained wicketless and were not at their best with the ball in the first essay.

In response, England openers, Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley batted cautiously and denied the Indians any success before the tea break. England reached 11/0 after six overs in the short spell before tea break as Bumrah and Siraj opened bowling for the tourists.