LEEDS, England (AP) — India led England by 96 runs on the second innings after three riveting days of their test series opener at Headingley on Sunday.
India bowled out the host for 465 at tea to eke out a six-run first-innings lead, and was 90-2 in its second bat when rain stopped play a half-hour early.
Opener Lokesh Rahul was 47 not out with captain Shubman Gill beside him on 6.
Harry Brook led England's batting spree on the day, riding his luck from 0 to 99 until he was out hooking straight to the fielder at deep backward square leg.
Brook was in control of partnerships of 51 with Ben Stokes, 73 with Jamie Smith and 49 with Chris Woakes. But when he was out at 398-7 England trailed by 73 runs and India would have expected to wrap up the tail with the new ball only five overs old.
But fast bowling allrounder Woakes and No. 9 batter Brydon Carse smashed 55 runs off 44 balls and India needed to give star pacer Jasprit Bumrah a back-breaking fifth spell to mop up.
Bumrah took the last two wickets for 5-83, his 12th five-for away from home, tying Kapil Dev's India record.
“The game is in the balance,” Bumrah said. “We have to bat well. The wicket is a little bit (two-) paced so it will be an interesting game to come.”
Brook takes charge
Ollie Pope's unbeaten 100 underpinned England's reply on Saturday but he added only six runs on Sunday before he tried to cut a nothing ball from Prasidh Krishna.
Stokes came in and Brook allowed the captain to settle by counterattacking India on his county home ground. Brook charged at Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for boundaries, drove Krishna on the up, and even pulled off a Rishabh Pant-type falling ramp shot for four that Pant smiled at.
Brook had the most trouble with Ravindra Jadeja's spin. Jadeja was getting the ball to fizz so well that he got Brook's outside edge on 46 but Pant dropped a tough chance at the stumps.
Brook was soon celebrating his 20th fifty-plus score in his 26th test.
Stokes was at the crease for nearly an hour for 20 when he feathered Siraj behind.
Smith lasted until just after lunch when he attempted a second six in the last over before the new ball became available. He fell into Krishna's short ball trap, caught deep by Jadeja who, just before he stepped over the boundary, relayed the ball to Sai Sudharsan. Smith made 40 off 52.
When Brook was dropped on 82 by slip fielder Yashasvi Jaiswal off Bumrah, it was Jaiswal's second drop of a Bumrah delivery and India's fourth, its most in a test match in five years.
Bumrah took up his station on the boundary each time with a smile. "I like to enjoy my time on the field so I always smile,” he said. “Nobody is dropping catches purposely and sometimes the cold makes it difficult to catch. I try not to let if affect me and move forwards quickly.”
After 11 boundaries and two sixes by Brook, the crowd anticipated his first Headingley test century until he pulled Krishna straight to Shardul Thakur on the boundary. Brook hung his head back in disbelief.
As unlucky as Brook was on 99, he was lucky to have scored one run. Before he got off the mark, he was caught in Saturday’s last over but Bumrah overstepped. Then he was dropped on 46 and 82.
Woakes and Carse prevented India from gaining a sizeable lead by feasting on Siraj and Krishna. Carse was bowled by Siraj on 22 off 23 balls in his first home test. Woakes was bowled by Bumrah on 38, his best test score in a year.
Bumrah inspires
Bumrah's 14th five-for in his 46th test put him in the company of Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, Ian Botham, Dale Steyn, Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis.
Bumrah finally had support from Siraj and Krishna, who took the other five wickets, but they and Thakur were expensive. England on Sunday scored at 4.9 an over.
When India started batting, conditions were turning. Gloom forced on the stadium lights and the wind picked up. Rain came as expected.
After Jaiswal, the first-innings century-maker, was nipped out by Carse for 4, Rahul and Sudharsan impressively handled the tricky conditions for more than 17 overs.
Sudharsan was dropped on 24 by Ben Duckett at backward point, but the damage was minimal as he reached 30 when Stokes got him for the second time in the match.
“The way Rahul played tonight, getting him out tomorrow is going to be crucial,” Pope said. “We back ourselves to chase a steady score.”
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The Associated Press
