As England continues to cut its disadvantage, Smith and Brook continue to be defiant

On Day 3 of the Edgbaston Test, India suffered a middle session without a wicket as Jamie Smith (157*) and Harry Brook (140*) kept them in check. Although they didn’t move as quickly as they had in the morning, the sixth-wicket pair was still enough to put England in a much safer position with 355 for 5 by tea, just 33 runs from avoiding the follow-on.

England began quickly in the afternoon after a fast-paced morning session in which the two helped the country amass 172 runs in a spectacular counterattack following two early early wickets. With a cut off Prasidh Krishna, Brook swiftly reached his tenth Test century in just 27 Tests. Fortunately, Smith was given a respite on 121 when Rishabh Pant gave him a difficult opportunity to his right, racing for a boundary. Undeterred, the pair became the first English pair to surpass the 200-run partnership milestone for a sixth-wicket stand or less against India. They did so the very next ball. By the way, Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja put on a display yesterday at about the same time, making it the second partnership in as many innings of this Test to reach 200 or more sixth wickets.

As India struggled for a breakthrough, hardly any opportunities were presented by either of the two set batters aside from that slip. Just before refreshments, England’s 300 was announced, and India eventually succeeded in getting their request for a ball change accepted during the interval.

After a slight slowdown, Smith’s boundary count increased once more as Nitish Reddy rejoined the attack. With a cover-drive and a pull back-to-back off the medium pacer, he bounded into the 140s before reaching his first Test 150 from 144 deliveries, which was the fifth-fastest for England.

After the altered ball gave up 22 runs in just five overs, the spinners came back from both ends and stopped the free flow. However, by the 70th over, the two had reached the 250-run milestone in their partnership.

After Tea contributed 106 runs in the 28-over session, an expensive Washington Sundar over, for 12 runs, helped England reach 355 for 5. The visitors would be anxiously expecting the second new ball, which is due in five overs, to make progress, but India still leads by a commanding 232.