India vs England 3rd Test Prediction: Who will win today's match?

Captain Virat Kohli has insisted that the ongoing Test series against England isn't any different from all the others he has led India in. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has come out and stated that he welcomes criticism because only important people get talked about.

Mohammed Siraj has claimed that his shushing celebration is a dig at his haters. Ravichandran Ashwin has put out several unabashed YouTube videos chronicling India's mental victories against the hosts.

Meanwhile, Joe Root has appeared to be lost for answers since his team was thrashed by 151 runs at the Home of Cricket. It was the same team that was on the backfoot heading into the final day of the first Test, and got out of the woods because of some inclement weather.

Jimmy Anderson has openly conceded that Jasprit Bumrah's 10-ball over to him messed with his psyche. England's leading wicket-taker in the format, a 39-year-old veteran of 162 Tests, has admitted that he feels Bumrah was deliberately trying to injure him.

The mindsets of the two sides couldn't be any clearer. While India are hunting down the hosts with a vengeance, England are desperately trying to ward off the demons of Lord's and fashion an all-round performance that isn't completely dependent on their captain.

For India, who've been soundly beaten every time they've touched upon English red-ball shores in the past decade, this series presents an excellent chance to take advantage of a weakened home side. For England, who are without several first-choice stars and seem devoid of any inspiration in the batting department, saving face is the name of the game.

The game in question is the third Test between India and England, starting Wednesday, August 25 at Headingley in Leeds.

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IND vs ENG 2021: Can India take a commanding 2-0 lead at Headingley?

India skipper Virat Kohli is under immense pressure to deliver with the bat

India have never played a Test at Headingley, so what the surface holds is a mystery. During The Hundred, the wicket was dry and slow, which might prompt the visitors to reconsider the composition of their playing XI.

Kohli admitted in the pre-match press conference that there's less grass on the pitch than he expected, but he also said that he doesn't want to tinker with the winning combination. If Ashwin plays, it will be a last-second call taken after a keen look at the pitch on Wednesday.

Otherwise, India don't have many questions to answer apart from familiar middle-order ones. Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have bought themselves some time with their second-innings exploits at Lord's, but talented batsmen are itching to go on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, England need their batsmen to step up and give Root some assistance. The 30-year-old has scored almost 30% of his team's runs in 2021 and is crying out for help even as his captaincy continues to fall under the scanner. Without Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley, who've been axed, England need inspiration from somewhere. The recalled Dawid Malan might be the solution to their woes.

Mark Wood has been ruled out with a jarred shoulder and England don't have an express pacer now. Saqib Mahmood's impending Test debut and the performance of Sam Curran will be key talking points during the third Test.

Overall, India have momentum firmly on their side. England don't seem like the home team; they've been bullied into the underdog tag. While the hosts have the team to pull off an upset, India have the edge - assuming, of course, that they get the structure of their playing XI right.

Prediction: India to win the third Test against England