Team India opener KL Rahul feels the onus is now on England to save the first Test after the visitors plundered a 95-run first-innings lead at Trent Bridge. India currently lead by 70 runs after rain played spoilsport on day 3.
In reply to England’s 183 in the first innings, Virat Kohli & Co scored 278 runs in the first innings with KL Rahul being the highest run-scorer. He played a crucial knock of 84 in 214 deliveries, including 12 boundaries. Ravindra Jadeja (56 off 86) and Jasprit Bumrah (28 off 34) also played a major role to help India secure a crucial lead.
That's about it on Day 3⃣ of the first #ENGvIND Test at Trent Bridge!
Rain has cut short the day's play, with England moving to 2⃣5⃣/0⃣ – trailing #TeamIndia by 7⃣0⃣ runs.
Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/TrX6JMzP9A pic.twitter.com/vNIfN11KqP
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 6, 2021
Addressing the press at the end of day 3, KL Rahul said it is always good to have a first-innings lead. He said:
“Yes, obviously, the first innings lead is very important for us. After bowling so well and dismissing them for 180, as batters, our role was to cover the target and then [we knew] whatever runs we score above that will be good for our team, will be cushion for our bowlers and will put us ahead of the game,” said KL Rahul.
“But having said that, in Test cricket and England, things keep changing every hour, it’s important to bowl with the same discipline tomorrow as we did in the first innings and challenge their batsmen. This 90-95 runs lead is good to have and the pressure is back on the opposition now to commit and make those runs,” he added.
In reply, England are currently stationed at 25/0, still trailing by 70-odd runs before rains started pouring down in Nottingham.
“It was another opportunity for me to go out and perform” – KL Rahul
KL Rahul, who came back in the Test side after a gap of almost two years, made the opportunity count. Reflecting back on the gritty knock, Rahul asserted that, for him, it was an opportunity to excel at the task given to him.
“In the last two years, I have learnt that you have to be ready to do anything (for the team). I have been asked to play different roles a lot of times and I quite enjoy doing it. So this was another opportunity for me to go out and challenge myself. Obviously, the Test cricket that I have played so far, I have opened the batting. It is something that I have done all my life. So I knew how to go about things and build the innings. When the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to go out there and grab the opportunity,” KL Rahul added.
