England Vs India – 3rd Test

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is back into form with a blazing defense before India were bundled out for 224 in their first innings to give England in the third cricket Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

Put into bat, India were unsteadily placed at 111 for seven before Dhoni (77) formed a dazzling range of stroke play to give some decency to the Indian total.

Dhoni, who has been struggling with form right through the series, found an able ally in Praveen Kumar (26) as they put on 84 runs for the eighth wicket on a Edgbaston track which seemed to have no demons after the first hour’s play.

England openers Andrew Strauss (51) and Alistair Cook (26) scored 84 for no loss at close on the opening day, trailing India by 140 runs in their first innings.

Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad were the chief Players for England as they bagged four wickets each.

India has to blame themselves for the shocking crumple as most of the batsman off to either poor shot selections or dreadful strokes. Only Rahul Dravid was dismissed by good delivery by Bresnan.

Opener Virender Sehwag couldn’t make any impact as India’s batting lineup fall to 100 for six in 34.4 overs.

India’s top-order fall once again against pace bowling as openers Gautam Gambhir (38) and Virender Sehwag (0) as well as Sachin Tendulkar (1) and Rahul Dravid (22) were sent back.

VVS Laxman (30) and Amit Mishra (4) in no time and if it had not been for Dhoni, things could have been more embarrassing for India.

Dhoni took 16 balls to get off the mark — through a pre-determined push to covers off Bresnan — but then took the attack to the opposition camp on an increasingly slow Edgbaston pitch.


He reached his half century when he off-drove Graeme Swann, introduced into the attack in the 47th over, having faced 63 balls. He hit seven fours and two sixes.

England finally made a breakthrough when Bresnan dug in a short delivery and a pull from Kumar only resulted in an edge to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

Ishant Sharma (4) next joined Dhoni and both added 29 for the ninth wicket before Dhoni edged an extravagant hit into the hands of lone slip fielder.

Ishant was brilliantly caught by Cook to bring the innings to an end as Indians, for the fifth time in the series, had failed to gather 300

Strauss took 14 balls to get off the mark and there was scoreless for 20 balls. But in between, he showed off some delightful strokes off the front and Back. Strauss hit 10 fours in his half century while facing 76 deliveries.

Earlier, Virender Sehwag's return was spoilt by Broad who dismissed him in the first ball that he faced. But India appeared to have overcome the early blow when Gambhir and Dravid were at the crease but disaster struck when the left-hander, after facing 64 balls, played on to a Bresnan delivery with the score at 59 for one.

The Indians were in for more trouble as Broad induced an edge from Tendulkar (1) but the biggest blow for the Indians came when Bresnan dismissed the in-form Dravid with a peach of a delivery .
Suresh Raina, made only two from 21 balls before Anderson distressed his stumps.

VVS Laxman, who twice hit Bresnan for fours through the off-side in one over, pulled at a short delivery and was easily caught at midwicket as the Indians slipped to 100 for six.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra hung around for 13 balls before binding wide.