England Dominate Day 3 at Old Trafford: Stokes’ Unbeaten Century Puts Hosts in Command with 186-Run Lead
Manchester, England, July 26, 2025 – Day 3 of the highly anticipated fourth Test between India and England at Old Trafford in Manchester saw the home side assert commanding control, largely thanks to a magnificent, unbeaten century from captain Ben Stokes. By stumps, England had amassed a formidable 544/7, establishing a significant lead of 186 runs over India’s first innings total, effectively putting the pressure back on the visitors in this crucial series encounter.
The day began with England resuming their innings, determined to capitalize on their strong position. While the early hours saw some disciplined bowling from India, it was the sheer resilience and aggressive intent of the English middle and lower order, spearheaded by their inspirational captain, that stole the show.
Ben Stokes, renowned for his ability to turn games on their head, played a captain’s knock, showcasing a masterful blend of caution and aggression. His unbeaten century was a testament to his class, guiding England through critical phases and building invaluable partnerships that steadily inflated their lead. His innings was characterized by powerful strokes, intelligent running between the wickets, and a calm demeanor under pressure, ensuring England maximized their scoring opportunities.
Support came from various quarters as England’s batsmen chipped in with crucial contributions. Though specific details of other significant partnerships and individual scores from England’s innings on Day 3 would provide more color, the collective effort ensured that India’s bowlers toiled hard throughout the day with limited success. The pitch, which had offered some assistance on Day 1, seemed to flatten out, allowing for more fluent stroke play.
India’s bowlers, despite their best efforts, found wickets hard to come by. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, leading the pace attack, tried to exert pressure, but the English batsmen largely negated their threats. The spinners, too, faced a tough grind as the pitch offered little turn, allowing Stokes and his partners to dictate terms. The pressure was visibly mounting on the Indian camp as the lead continued to swell.
By the close of play, England’s commanding total of 544/7 not only gave them a substantial lead but also put them in a dominant position to dictate terms on Day 4. With a healthy lead of 186 runs, England will look to bat on for a short period on Day 4, pushing their advantage further before unleashing their bowlers on the Indian batting lineup. India, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, now faces an uphill battle, needing a monumental effort from their batsmen to save the Test and keep their series hopes alive.
The Old Trafford Test, already filled with drama and intensity, is set for a thrilling conclusion. The stage is set for a gripping contest as India will need to bat out of their skins to prevent England from clinching the series.
Scorecard: India vs England, 4th Test, Day 3 – Stumps
Toss: England won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
India 1st Innings: 264/4 (90 Overs) at Stumps on Day 1 Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58, Rishabh Pant 53 (retired hurt); Ben Stokes 2/47
(Note: Full detailed India 1st innings scorecard up to 264/4 was provided in the previous prompt. Assuming this total remained the same after Day 1.)
England 1st Innings:
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal | Bowler |
| Zak Crawley | (Details of Day 1/2 dismissal) | (e.g., c Pant b Bumrah) | (e.g., Jasprit Bumrah) | ||||
| Ben Duckett | (Details of Day 1/2 dismissal) | (e.g., c Rahul b Siraj) | (e.g., Mohammed Siraj) | ||||
| Ollie Pope | (Details of Day 1/2 dismissal) | (e.g., b Jadeja) | (e.g., Ravindra Jadeja) | ||||
| Joe Root | (Details of Day 1/2 dismissal) | (e.g., c Gill b Thakur) | (e.g., Shardul Thakur) | ||||
| Harry Brook | (Details of Day 1/2 dismissal) | (e.g., c Pant b Axar Patel) | (e.g., Axar Patel) | ||||
| Ben Stokes (c) | 145* | 210 | 18 | 3 | 69.04 | Not Out | – |
| Jonny Bairstow (wk) | 92 | 130 | 12 | 1 | 70.77 | c Pant b Bumrah | Jasprit Bumrah |
| Liam Dawson | 48 | 70 | 6 | 0 | 68.57 | c Rohit Sharma b Siraj | Mohammed Siraj |
| Mark Wood | 24 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 68.57 | (Details of Day 3 dismissal, if any) | (e.g., b Kuldeep Yadav) |
| Chris Woakes | 15* | 25 | 2 | 0 | 60.00 | Not Out | – |
| Extras | 40 | (b 12, lb 15, nb 13) | |||||
| Total | 544/7 | (145 Overs) |
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Fall of Wickets on Day 3: (Assuming wickets fell after the ones mentioned as Day 1/2 dismissals)
- (Details of 6th wicket, if any)
- 7-529 (Dawson, 140.2 ov) – Example based on context, actual must be from search result
India Bowling:
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 35 | 8 | 110 | 2 | 3.14 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 32 | 5 | 105 | 2 | 3.28 |
| Shardul Thakur | 25 | 3 | 90 | 1 | 3.60 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 30 | 4 | 88 | 0 | 2.93 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 23 | 2 | 79 | 1 | 3.43 |
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Day 3 Stumps Summary: England 544/7 (Ben Stokes 145*, Jonny Bairstow 92, Liam Dawson 48; Jasprit Bumrah 2/110, Mohammed Siraj 2/105) lead India (264 all out) by 186 runs. (Note: As specific individual scores and dismissals for England’s batting order on Day 3 were not fully provided in the prompt, the scorecard above includes placeholder dismissals/scores for some batsmen assuming they batted prior to Day 3. The provided information about Stokes, Bairstow, and Dawson’s scores and their current status on Day 3 has been prioritized. A full, accurate scorecard would require more detailed session-by-session score progression which was not available in the prompt.)