IND vs ENG, 1st Test - Ollie Pope smashes a 100, could he save his side from a loss against India?

After a disappointing one-run performance in the first innings, Ollie Pope redeemed himself in the second by smashing a century against India on Day 3 of the 1st Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. His impressive knock has propelled England to a total of 245 runs and helped them take a lead of 55 runs in 61 overs.

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The batsman's stellar form in the second innings was evident as he removed his helmet and pointed it towards the dressing room, sported a wide smile, celebrating with a hug from his partner Ben Foakes and earning a standing ovation from the enthusiastic Hyderabad crowd.

Second innings hundreds vs India in India since 2018:

107 Dimuth Karunaratne Bengaluru 2022

100* Ollie Pope Hyderabad 2024 [Also Pope's 1st century in 2nd innings (5th overall)]

As of writing the article, only five wickets have fallen, and Team India will be eager to secure more dismissals before the conclusion of Day 3. Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin have both claimed two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja has contributed with one wicket.

The English side got a good start in the 2nd innings with Zak Crawley (31) and Ben Duckett (47) going strong, followed by Pope and Ben Foakes (30*). Joe Root (2), Jonny Bairstow (10) and skipper Ben Stokes (6) could not contribute much.

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India's batting showcase began with Yashasvi Jaiswal's impressive performance, showcasing his mastery of Indian conditions. The partnership between KL Rahul (86) and Shreyas Iyer (35) further strengthened India's position, with additional contributions from Jadeja and Srikar Bharat posing significant challenges for the English side.

Teams:

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach