England vs India 2021: If India Can Bat Out Third Day, Then They Become Favorites To Win The Test Match, States Michael Vaughan

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes if India can bat the entire third day of the ongoing fourth Test at Oval then they are the favorites to win the match.

India were 43 for no loss at the end of the second day’s gameplay with England leading by 56 runs. Indian openers Rohit Sharma (20) and KL Rahul (22) tackled the England pacers to ensure they did not cause any damage to their batting line-up.

Earlier in the day, Ollie Pope top-scored for England with 81, and all-rounder Chris Woakes blasted some quickfire runs in the end and made 50 to push the team’s score to 290, to gain a lead of 99 runs.

I think there will be another 270 runs scored on Day 3: Michael Vaughan

Vaughan feels that if India can bat throughout the third day then they will hold the upper hand against their opponents and the former England captain expects the visitors to score an additional 270 runs in the second innings.

“I think there will be another 270 runs scored on Day 3. If India can bat out the day, then we start getting to the stage where they become favorites to win the Test match. That’s the big if – can they bat out the day?” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.

“The first hour is always the key as the ball will do a little bit. We saw that on the first two mornings as well. If India can nullify that first hour, when there is a little bit more on the surface, India start to become favorites then.

“Bat all day – it’s a simple procedure that India now find themselves in. They have nullified the initial pressure zone with that start. Don’t go chasing the wide ones, don’t go chasing those big drives in the first hour. Play for your off stump and then make hay. The sun will shine eventually,” he added.

If an Indian can get a hundred, that will go a long way in them winning the game: Michael Vaughan

On the first day India were bowled out for 191 after skipper Virat Kohli 950) and all-rounder Shardul Thakur (57) notched up the fifties but there was the least support from other Indian batters in the first innings.

Vaughan believes if any Indian batsman can get a century in this game then no one can stop them from winning the game and eventually take a lead in the Test series.

“I really feel that the way India have fought, from 120 for 7 to now be in this position, where they are only 56 runs behind… It is not a lot on a ground where you can score quite quickly. The team that gets the individual score to an individual hundred, that side will win the game. If an Indian can get a hundred, that will go a long way in them winning the game.”

The series is tied at 1-1 after India won the second Test at Lord’s by 151 runs only for England to storm back with an innings and 76 runs triumph at Headingley in the third Test.

Also Read: England vs India 2021: Michael Vaughan Predicts An England Win In The Oval Test