Cricket-Gill misses hundred but India's lead swells against England

Cricket – Third Test – India v England – Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot, India – February 18, 2024 England’s Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow appeal for the wicket of India’s Kuldeep Yadav REUTERS/Amit Dave

RAJKOT, India (Reuters) – Shubman Gill fell agonisingly short of a hundred but India extended their overall lead to 440 at lunch on day four of the third test against England on Sunday.

India had been in the box seat since grabbing a handy first-innings lead of 126 and they were sitting pretty at 314-4 at the break, threatening to bat England out of the contest.

Cricket – Third Test – India v England – Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot, India – February 18, 2024 India’s Shubman Gill in action REUTERS/Amit Dave

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who retired hurt after completing a century on Saturday, returned to bat and was on 149 with Sarfaraz Ahmed on 22 at the other end.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who flew home on Friday following a family emergency, has also reunited with the squad, the Indian cricket board said in a statement.

Resuming on their overnight score of 196-2, Gill looked destined for a hundred, while Kuldeep Yadav (27), who came in as nightwatchman on day three, rubbed salt into England’s wounds by going after the spinners.

Cricket – Third Test – India v England – Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot, India – February 18, 2024 England’s Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow appeal for the wicket of India’s Kuldeep Yadav REUTERS/Amit Dave

Gill was run out for 91 after a misunderstanding with Kuldeep and the former’s desperate dive was not enough to save him.

Cricket – Third Test – India v England – Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot, India – February 18, 2024 India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal in action REUTERS/Amit Dave

Rehan Ahmed dismissed Kuldeep but India remained in control of the contest.

The five-test series is level at 1-1.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)