India vs England, 3rd Test Day 3: KL Rahul falls at stroke of lunch before England take 354-run lead

Leeds, Aug 27: India had a troubled start to their second innings as they lost opener KL Rahul at the stroke of lunch on day three of the third Test against England here at Headingley on Friday (August 27).

The hosts took a whopping 354-run lead before they were bowled out for 432 in their first innings. Indian bowlers took just 20 balls to pick up the remaining English wickets on day three of the match which was dominated by the hosts.

India pacer Mohammed Shami dismissed overnight batsman Craig Overton and trapped him for 32 and England lost their ninth wicket. Later, Jasprit Bumrah clean bowled Ollie Robinson for a duck and ended England's innings.

Trailing by a mammoth 354 runs, after getting dismissed for a paltry 78 in their first innings Indian openers (Rahul and Rohit) started batting with caution.

As Rahul was dismissed in the first over in the first innings, Rohit took the strike in the second as James Anderson started proceedings with the new ball for England.

With conditions overcast and a little drizzle just before the start of the innings, the English pace trio of Anderson, Ollie Robinson, and Craig Overton put on a display of impressive seam bowling.

All three pacers kept bowling in the right areas and didn't allow the openers to free their arms. Rohit looked in fine touch, Rahul never looked settled in his entire stay at the crease as England bowler pestered him with in-swinging deliveries.

Rahul was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire when an in-coming delivery from Ollie Robinson crashed into his pads. The batsman, after much discussion with his opening partner, went upstairs to review it and the ball-tracking showed the ball was missing stumps and Rahul survived.

But the batsman's happiness didn't last long as he was caught in the final over before lunch break when Jonny Bairstow took a stunning left-handed catch at slip to dismiss him. It was an out-swinging delivery from Overton which found the edge of Rahul's blade and flew sharply towards the second slip and an alert Bairstow didn't do any mistake.

The Indians thus lost their first wicket for 34 and Rahul had added just eight runs to his account and the umpires signalled end of the play in morning session.