3 things India need to do right to take control on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test ft. Rishabh Pant

India and England continued to trade punches on Day 3 of the first Test at Headingley in Leeds on Sunday, June 22, with neither side claiming a distinct advantage. In reply to India's first innings total of 471, the hosts resumed Day 3 at 209-3. They ended up posting 465 on the board, finishing just six runs short of India's first innings score.

Ollie Pope, who was unbeaten on 100 overnight, perished for 106. Harry Brook, who got a reprieve on zero in the closing stages of Day 2, continued to enjoy more luck. He was eventually dismissed one run short of a hundred as he hooked a short ball straight to a fielder. Good lower-order contributions from Jamie Smith (40) and Chris Woakes (38) took England close to India's score.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah finished with yet another five-fer, while Prasidh Krishna claimed three. The visitors went to stumps in their second innings at 90-2, with KL Rahul unbeaten on 47 and Shubman Gill on six. Ahead of Day 4 of the intriguing Leeds Test, we analyze three things India need to do right to take control of proceedings in the hard-fought contest.

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#1 India must not lose more than two wickets in the first session on Day 4

India will resume Day 4 with a lead of 96 and eight wickets in hand. Rahul and Gill looked assured at the crease in the last session on Day 3. However, both will have to start from scratch on Monday as the Test heads towards an interesting finish. The visitors must ensure that they do not lose more than a couple of wickets in the first session of play on Day 4.

India have got into a poor habit of losing wickets in heap over the last couple of years. The same happened in the first innings of the ongoing Test as well. From a formidable 430-3, India stumbled to 471 all-out, losing seven wickets for 41 runs. India's batting collapse brought England back into the contest. The hosts did well to get close to India's first innings total, making the Test a second innings battle.

If India lose a couple of early wickets on Day 4, England can put them under a lot of pressure and we could see another batting collapse. It will thus be extremely important for Rahul and Gill to try and bat out the first hour. If India do not lose more than two wickets in the first session, they would have done a good job.

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#2 India must look to accelerate in the second session

With only two days left in the Test, India must look to accelerate the scoring in the second session of play on Day 4. Keeper-batter Rishabh Pant's performance with the willow could be extremely crucial in this context. If he gets going, Pant will score at a swift pace, which would help India grow their lead.

India currently have a lead of 96, with six wickets in hand. As mentioned, in the first session in Leeds, the visitors must look to consolidate and not lose more than a couple of wickets. However, they must subsequently try to open up and stretch their lead to around 330. For that, apart from Pant, the likes of Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur would also need to contribute.

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#3 Declare and pick up at least a couple of England wickets by stumps

After gaining a lead of around 330 runs, India must look to declare with around 8-10 overs of plays led in the day. During this tricky period for the England's batters, India's bowlers must look to pick up at least a couple of wickets. If they do that, the visitors would head to stumps on Day 4 with the upper hand.

Claiming at least a couple of wickets on Day 4 in Leeds would be crucial for India. On the contrary, if they allow England to get off to flying start, Gill and co. could be in danger of losing the Test. If England gain some momentum on Day 4, they could end up chasing a 330-plus score, something which they have done in the past.