England 290-5 at lunch on Day 3 against India in 3rd cricket test, trailing by 155 runs

RAJKOT, India (AP) — Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets in the first session of the third day Saturday and England was 290-5 at lunch in the third cricket test, still trailing by 155 runs on the first innings.

India was missing off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who picked up his 500th test wicket on Friday. He flew home to Chennai because of a family medical emergency and will be unavailable for the remainder of the third test.

The rules do not allow for a replacement player, unless there is a concussion or COVID-19 case, so India will be down to 10 players.

At lunch Saturday, captain Ben Stokes was batting on 39 with Ben Foakes on six.

The five-match series is level at 1-1. India won the second test by 106 runs after England beat the hosts by 28 runs in the opener.

Starting from overnight at 207-2, England could only add another 17 runs in the morning session before losing a wicket.

Joe Root was caught at second slip off Jasprit Bumrah. Root scored 18 runs off 31 balls, adding only nine runs to his overnight score, and was visibly upset at his poor shot selection.

England was quickly down to 225-4 after losing a second wicket in the space of six deliveries, as Jonny Bairstow was out lbw for a four-ball duck to Yadav. Bairstow reviewed, but the decision stayed in India’s favor.

Stokes then added 35 runs with Ben Duckett, who had scored a century on the second day. The left-handed opener added 20 runs to his score, before he hit one straight to the cover fielder and was out for 153.

Duckett’s dismissal shifted the game in India’s favor, as the hosts picked up three wickets for 83 runs in the morning session despite missing Ashwin. India scored 445 runs in its first innings with centuries from Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket