There has been no end to India’s dismal performance in this Test — all out for 78 in the first innings and losing another eight wickets for 63 in their second essay. That’s the story of the visitors’ batting in the third Test at Headingley in Leeds, as England thrashed them by an innings and 76 runs to level the series 1-1 with two more matches to go.

The Indians’ resilient show in difficult conditions on the third day had certainly raised hopes of further defiance though they needed another 139 to make England bat again. Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli, the two overnight batsmen, were set and looking solid under bright and sunny conditions when the penultimate day’s play began.

Yet it turned out to be a repeat of what happened on Day I of this Test, as India lost all their eight remaining wickets for the addition of only 63 to their overnight total of 215 for two. Barring Pujara, unable to add to his overnight score after being adjudged lbw for deliberately padding to an incoming delivery from Ollie Robinson (5/65), almost all the other batsmen were caught behind or perished in the slip cordon just as they did in their first innings.

Glaring weakness

Following Pujara’s strange dismissal, skipper Kohli looked to be in trouble again and his nemesis James Anderson almost dismissed him for the second time in the Test, only for the DRS to overturn the decision. Kohli, in fact, had started to walk back to the pavilion before his deputy Ajinkya Rahane asked him to wait and go for the review.

But he couldn’t make use of that slice of luck. Soon after reaching his first half-century on the tour, he again edged one to his counterpart Joe Root at slip when Robinson pitched one just outside the off stump. For the fifth time on the trot in this series, the ball pitching outside off stump brought about Kohli’s departure. And it’s time he and the rest of the team management address the issues against the moving ball.

Vice-captain Rahane and Rishabh Pant too didn’t last long, falling to Anderson and Robinson, respectively, as England completed the formalities before lunch.

According to the skipper, this Test was “an aberration” for his team. Well, he may not be wrong as India still stand a chance to win the series as cricket is always a game of uncertainties. But to be bundled out for less than 100 twice in nine months (36 all out in December in Australia being the first instance) is unbecoming of a team boasting of being “the best-ever” travelling side.

Pant’s struggle

It wouldn’t be fair to blame Pant when bigger names in the batting line-up are unable to do the job. But so far in the series, the kind of shots the young wicketkeeper-batsman has played that resulted in his dismissals should find a mention in the notebook of head coach Ravi Shastri and batting coach Vikram Rathour.

One may argue that these are still early days in the international circuit for Pant, but he also needs to be told about not taking his place in the XI for granted just because other ’keeper-batsmen can’t make that impact with freaky and innovative shots. A line exists between being fearless and reckless, which Pant needs to be made aware of.

Root’s tactics

Shining with the bat once again to record three centuries in as many Tests, Root’s ploy of opting for the second new ball after 80 overs of India’s second innings also somewhat worked in England’s favour.

With light fading further in the final session of Day III, Root had to bowl off-spinner Moeen Ali and himself from both ends. On Saturday morning, the first thing the England captain did was to take the new ball and it brought luck for him and his team.