Harry Brook Dismissed For 99 After Two Lifelines

Leeds: England’s middle-order batter Harry Brook took full advantage of India’s inconsistent pace, swing, and seam in the first session of the third day of the first Test match, helping his team avoid the follow-on scare. However, despite being gifted two lifelines, Brook fell agonizingly short of his century, getting out on 99. Prasidh Krishna dismissed him, inducing a catch to Shardul Thakur at deep backward square leg. The right-hander narrowly missed out on what would’ve been his ninth Test century.

At the time of Brook’s dismissal, England were 398 for 7, just 68 runs behind India’s first innings total.

Brook got his lifeline on 46 when Ravindra Jadeja found the edge, but wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant dropped a simple catch. England were 300 for 5 at that point. Jadeja was tactically using the rough patches on the pitch to generate unpredictable bounce, but Pant failed to latch on. Shortly after, Brook went on to complete his 12th half-century.

His first escape, however, came late on Day 2 (Saturday) when Jasprit Bumrah had him caught — but off a no-ball, nullifying the dismissal.

At lunch on Day 3, England were 327 for 5, trailing India by 144 runs. Soon after the break, Jamie Smith (40 runs off 52 balls, 1 six, 5 fours) lost his wicket to Prasidh Krishna. At deep square leg, Jadeja initially caught the ball near the boundary but, sensing he might step over the ropes, he cleverly lobbed it to Sai Sudharsan, who completed the catch — a moment of brilliant teamwork.

England began Day 3 at 209/3, and their strategy was clear: score quickly to pile pressure on Indian bowlers and avoid a follow-on. In the 28 overs before lunch, they scored 118 runs.

Jamie Smith also narrowly escaped earlier in the session. On 290/5, Shardul Thakur appealed for LBW off a swinging full toss, and the on-field umpire ruled Smith out. However, a DRS review showed the ball missing leg stump, and the decision was overturned.

Ollie Pope, who had tackled world no.1 bowler Bumrah and others on Saturday, was eventually dismissed by Prasidh Krishna for a superb 106 (137 balls, 14 fours), caught behind by Pant. England captain Ben Stokes (20) was dismissed by Mohammed Siraj, who finally got a breakthrough in the 18th over of the innings.

On Saturday, India’s first three wickets were all taken by Jasprit Bumrah.

By the time Harry Brook was dismissed as the seventh wicket, England had reached 398/7. Among the seven wickets, Bumrah had taken three, Prasidh Krishna two, and Siraj one.