England's batting lineup experienced a dramatic day of contrasting fortunes in the second Test against India at Edgbaston. After a disastrous start that saw six batsmen record ducks, including captain Ben Stokes, the team was rescued by a remarkable counter-attacking partnership between Jamie Smith and Harry Brook. However, their efforts ultimately proved insufficient as a late-order collapse handed the advantage back to India.

India, having posted a formidable 587 in their first innings, seized control of the match, thanks to Shubman Gill's masterful double century. England's response began poorly, with Mohammed Siraj striking crucial blows by dismissing Joe Root and Stokes in quick succession. Stokes' dismissal for a golden duck marked his first in Test cricket. The home side found themselves in dire straits at 84/5, still trailing by over 500 runs. Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope also failed to score, contributing to the top-order woes.

In a stunning turn of events, Smith and Brook launched a ferocious counter-attack, adding 303 runs for the sixth wicket. Their aggressive and fearless approach, embodying the "Bazball" philosophy, revitalized England's innings and instilled hope. Smith, in particular, was exceptional, reaching his century off just 80 balls, the third-fastest for England. He went on to score an unbeaten 184, breaking Alec Stewart's record for the highest score by an England wicketkeeper in Tests. Brook, equally impressive, contributed a stylish 158, reaching his ninth Test hundred.

However, England's resurgence was short-lived. Once India took the second new ball, the innings unraveled. Akash Deep dismissed Brook, triggering a collapse that saw the last five wickets fall for a mere 20 runs. Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir all followed Stokes, Duckett and Pope in registering ducks. England were eventually dismissed for 407, handing India a substantial lead of 180 runs. Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the Indian bowlers, finishing with figures of 6-70.

At the close of play on Day 3, India had reached 64/1 in their second innings, extending their lead to 244 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the only wicket to fall, dismissed by Josh Tongue. Lokesh Rahul (28) and Karun Nair (7) remained unbeaten, leaving India in a commanding position to push for a series-levelling victory.

Reflecting on the day's play, Brook acknowledged that his dismissal contributed to England's predicament but remained optimistic about his team's chances. However, the six ducks in the innings highlighted England's over-reliance on the Smith-Brook partnership. India's strategic decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah and include Akash Deep, along with Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, proved fruitful, with Deep taking four wickets. As play moves into day 4, India appear well placed to level the series.