Jamie Smith and Harry Brook’s landmark efforts highlight a valiant England Batting Fightback, cutting into India’s gains in the Second India vs England Test.
Day 3 of the India vs England Test at Edgbaston delivered a thrilling show of resilience! England fought back incredibly well with the bat, thanks to some outstanding performances. However, India’s fast bowlers made sure they still held a big lead in the first innings. By the end of play, India”s batsmen had made their advantage even stronger, leading by a healthy 244 runs with nine wickets still in hand. This England Batting Fightback made for a truly exciting day of cricket.England Batting Fightback
The absolute highlight of the day was the sensational batting by two young English stars: Jamie Smith, who scored an unbeaten 184 runs, and Harry Brook, who smashed 158 runs. These two put together an amazing 303-run partnership! This massive stand was crucial because it ensured England scored enough runs to avoid the “follow-on” (where a team has to bat again immediately if they don’t reach a certain score). They did this on a pitch that continued to be very good for batting. Without their incredible partnership, India’s lead would have been much, much bigger, and the England Batting Fightback simply wouldn’t have happened.
India’s Early Domination on Day 3
The day started with India in a hugely powerful position in this India vs England Test. They had ended Day 2 with a massive lead of 510 runs, having scored 587 runs in their first innings. England, on the other hand, was struggling at 77 runs for 3 wickets. The momentum was entirely with India, and everyone expected their bowlers to quickly clean up the remaining English batsmen.England Batting Fightback
And India’s fast bowler, Mohammed Siraj, made sure the visitors had the first big cheer of the day! He bowled brilliantly, picking up two massive wickets in back-to-back deliveries. First, he got the experienced Joe Root out, and then, on the very next ball, he dismissed England’s attacking captain, Ben Stokes. This was a dream start for India, and it sent shivers down England’s spine. With these quick wickets, England was tottering at a terrible 84 runs for 5 wickets against India’s huge first innings score of 587. It looked like the match was over already, but that’s when the England Batting Fightback truly began.England Batting Fightback
The Epic Brook-Smith Partnership: A Masterclass in Resilience
At this very dangerous moment, when England was almost out of the game, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith walked to the crease. They came together and produced a simply stunning batting display. They showed amazing skill and courage, turning what looked like a disaster into an inspiring England Batting Fightback.
For the next few hours, they batted beautifully, frustrating the Indian bowlers. They added an incredible 165 runs together before Lunch, completely changing the feel of the game. Jamie Smith, in particular, took the lead in scoring runs very quickly. Smith, who had already shown his class by helping England successfully chase a big total in the first Test, hammered his century off just 80 balls! This made him the third-fastest England men’s Test centurion ever, placing him behind Gilbert Jessop (who hit a century in 76 balls) and Jonny Bairstow (who took 77 balls). He even equaled Harry Brook’s own record of an 80-ball century. This aggressive yet controlled batting was the heart of the England Batting Fightback.England Batting Fightback
The first session was cracking, full of runs from the English duo. They continued their strong batting after Lunch, making the most of the good batting conditions on the Edgbaston pitch. Harry Brook also completed his own fantastic century in the 51st over of England’s innings, bowled by Prasidh Krishna. The partnership between Brook and Smith just kept growing, going beyond 189 runs. This made it the most successful sixth-wicket partnership for England against India in Test history! Their determination was clear for all to see in this India vs England Test.
As the Brook and Smith partnership went past 200 runs, they created even more history. It became only the third Test match ever to feature two double-century partnerships for the sixth wicket or lower. This is an extremely rare event in Test cricket, especially considering India’s own Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar had put on a big sixth-wicket stand earlier in the match. When England reached the 300-run mark, their partnership became the most prolific (highest-scoring) sixth-wicket partnership for England playing in their home country. This England Batting Fightback was breaking records left and right.England Batting Fightback
England continued to bat without much trouble through the entire second session and well into the third session. The Indian bowlers tried everything, but Brook and Smith seemed unbreakable. The only thing that changed their fortunes was when India finally took the new ball (a fresh, harder ball after 80 overs of play). With the new ball, Akash Deep finally managed to find a way past Harry Brook. Brook fell after scoring a brilliant 158 runs. Their amazing 303-run partnership finally came to an end. It was the second-best partnership for England’s sixth wicket in Tests and the third-best partnership for the sixth wicket against India. This marked a key moment in the India vs England Test.England Batting Fightback
Harry Brook and Jamie Smith forged a partnership for the ages in Birmingham 🌟#ENGvIND #WTC27 pic.twitter.com/pJ54ZgqG40
— ICC (@ICC) July 4, 2025
India’s Bowlers Finish Strong, Maintain Advantage
Even after Harry Brook’s dismissal, Jamie Smith continued his brave fight from the other end. He kept batting beautifully and reached a personal milestone in the 88th over, scoring 174 runs. This was a record in itself: it was the highest-ever score by an England wicketkeeper in Test matches! As he achieved this landmark, he also went past New Zealand’s Ian Smith, who previously held the record for the highest score by a batsman batting at number seven or lower against India in Tests (a feat achieved in 1990). Jamie Smith’s individual brilliance was a shining example of the England Batting Fightback.England Batting Fightback
However, England’s lower-order batsmen (the “tail-enders”) couldn’t stand strong against the continuous pressure from India’s fast bowlers. Despite Smith’s heroic efforts, the rest of the team struggled. India’s seamers kept bowling accurately and aggressively, eventually bowling out England for a total of 407 runs. Jamie Smith remained unbeaten on a magnificent 184 runs, a true testament to his fighting spirit.
India’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Mohammed Siraj finishing with excellent figures of 6 wickets for just 70 runs, showing his class and ability to take crucial wickets. Akash Deep also bowled very well, picking up 4 wickets for 88 runs, proving his worth in the team. Their combined efforts ensured that India restricted England’s scoring despite the two big partnerships, preventing the England Batting Fightback from completely changing the game’s direction.
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After dismissing England, India’s batsmen began their second innings positively. They knew they had a significant lead and needed to build on it. Despite losing their aggressive opener Yashasvi Jaiswal relatively early, India was at 64 runs for 1 wicket at the end of the day’s play. This means India still holds a substantial lead of 244 runs with nine wickets still in hand, setting up a fascinating Day 4 in this India vs England Test.
Overall, Day 3 was a rollercoaster of emotions. It started with India on top, saw a stunning England Batting Fightback led by Brook and Smith, and ended with India still holding a clear advantage. Day 4 promises more excitement as India will look to score quickly and set a massive target, while England will be desperate for early wickets to try and stay in the game. The India vs England Test is far from over!
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