England women's cricket team seized control of the one-off Test against India on day three, building a 189-run lead with seven wickets in hand at the close of play. The hosts, led by a composed half-century from Heather Knight, reached 245 for 3 in their second innings after bowling out India for 231 earlier in the day.
India's First Innings Ends at 231
Resuming on 183 for 5, India added 48 runs before losing their last five wickets for 43 runs. Spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean shared six wickets, with Ecclestone finishing with 4 for 68 and Dean taking 3 for 55. Shafali Verma top-scored for India with 69, while Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 58.
England's Second Innings Builds Lead
England openers Tammy Beaumont and Emma Lamb put on 97 for the first wicket before Lamb fell for 52. Beaumont followed soon after for 64, but captain Heather Knight (68 not out) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (45 not out) steadied the innings with an unbroken 89-run partnership. Knight's knock included 10 boundaries and a six.
Match Situation and Outlook
With a lead of 189 and seven wickets remaining, England are well placed to push for a win on day four. India's bowlers struggled to contain the scoring rate, with only left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad taking two wickets. According to England captain Heather Knight, "We're in a strong position now. The pitch is still good for batting, but there's enough turn for our spinners to exploit later."
The Test is the first between the two sides since 2021, and a win would boost England's preparations for the upcoming Ashes series. India, meanwhile, will need early wickets on day four to stay in the game.
