England vs India, 2018: 5 reasons why India won the 3rd Test

The Indian cricket team thrashed England by 203 runs in the third Test of the five-match series at Trent Bridge in Nottingham to make it 2-1.

After an extremely disappointing loss in the second Test at Lord's, the Virat Kohli-led side bounced back in style to win the Test.

After winning the toss, England had put India to bat. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane's knocks helped India post a total 329 on the board. In response, Hardik Pandya's five-wicket haul helped reduce England to 161. In the second innings, a Virat Kohli century along with half-centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Hardik Pandya helped India build a lead of 520 runs.

In response, England lost four quick wickets but bounced back in style with a fantastic partnership between Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, who scored a century.

However, Jasprit Bumrah got India back into the game with three quick wickets and from there, there was no looking back. England showed some fight in the end and took the match to Day 5, however, Ashwin ensured that the match was finished in time by getting Anderson dismissed. Bumrah ended with a five-fer.

The 4th Test will take place from August 30 to September 3 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Here are five reasons why India won:

#5 Hardik Pandya's contribution

"He is not consistent. He does not have the control that puts batsmen under pressure constantly. He will bowl a couple of good deliveries, yes, but you need to have the control to put batsmen under pressure consistently," said Mike Holding about Hardik Pandya before the Test.

And how fitting it was that he was in the commentary box when Pandya bagged his first ever five-fer in Test cricket as he ripped through their batting line-up. A spell of six overs was all that was needed for Pandya to get his five wickets. The English batsmen were clueless and had no answer to the 24-year-old's bowling.

Pandya contributed with the bat as well, scoring a quickfire half-century in the second innings to help India extend their lead over 500. He picked up one wicket in the second innings as well.

#4 Virat Kohli's twin knocks

The Indian captain bounced back after an average second Test and took on the English bowlers with aplomb, scoring his second century of the series. He was unlucky to miss out on a century in the first innings and was lucky to get to his century in the second innings.

He looked extremely confident, played patiently, and attacked the bowlers when needed. He put on a vital partnership with Ajinkya Rahane in the first innings and with Cheteshwar Pujara in the second innings.

He will now look to lead India to victory in the third Test as well.

#3 Improved catching

One of the reasons for India's loss in the first Test was their poor fielding. There were mutliple drop catches, including the drop catch of Sam Curran in the second innings, which proved to be the difference between the two sides in the end.

However, the fielders performed a lot better this time out and held on to everything thrown at them. Rishabh Pant, who made his debut in the match, was spectacular behind the stumps, taking five catches in the first innings and in the second.

Kohli and Rahul were brilliant in the slips as well, with the former taking a brilliant catch in the second innings to dismiss Pope. On the other hand, the English fielders were not up to the mark.

#2 England's opening woes

One of the biggest problems for England in the Test series has been the failure of their two opening batsmen, Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings.

The two batsmen have always got off to decent starts but have failed to convert them into big scores. Cook managed 46 runs in the Test and Jennings managed 32 runs.

The team management will have to look into this matter and consider replacing either one of them or both of them for the final two Tests.

#1 Contribution from other batsmen

England v India: Specsavers 3rd Test - Day One

In the first Test, Kohli had scored more than 50% of the team's runs. In fact, he was the only player who managed a fifty-plus score in the match. All the other batsmen had failed.

In the second Test as well, the top-order batsmen apart from Kohli failed to get going. This was not the case in the third Test, however.

Both Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul got India off to a good start in both the innings. Rahane was spectacular in the first innings and Pujara in the second. Pandya scored a blazing half-century in the second innings as well to help India's cause.

The team management will hope for all the batsmen to step up in the final two games as well.