Birmingham

Helped by an unbeaten half-century by top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara India’s lead against England stretched to 257 at the end of day three of the fifth test match at Edgbaston.

First innings centurion Rishabh Pant was 30 not out at the crease.

Mohammed Siraj took four wickets while captain Jasprit Bumrah scalped three English batsmen to bowl out England for 284 runs. Jonny Bairstow made a belligerent 106 for the hosts.

Opener Shubham Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Virat Kohli are the three Indian top-order batsmen back in the dressing room in the second innings.

Kohli was once again disappointing with the bat. He started off well with a cover drive off Broad. But Stokes managed to kick one up from length to take an edge off Kohli’s glove to keeper Billings.

India started their second innings with a lead of 132 runs. They now have an edge in the final test match of the five-test series which was curtailed last year due to a covid outbreak in the Indian camp.

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India leads the series 2-1.