Winners and losers from the third Test between England and India

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  • Pandya put in a matured all-round display at Trent Bridge.

    The five-match series between England and India came well and truly alive as the visitors bounced back in style at Trent Bridge.

    Claiming the final English wicket in no time on day five, Virat Kohli and his men scripted a crushing 203-run win in the third Test.

    Having suffered losses at Edgbaston and Lord’s, India now trail 2-1 in the series with all to play for in the fourth Test at Southampton.

    Here, we look at the winners and losers from the Trent Bridge Test.

    WINNERS

    Virat Kohli

    If there’s one clear winner from the Test apart from the Indian team itself, it is the man-of-the-match Virat Kohli. This time around, the India skipper continues to go from strength to strength in England after his dismal tour of 2014.

    The superstar is now making it a habit to score 200 runs precisely in the Tests. He laid down a marker at Edgbaston with innings of 149 and 51 and then bounced back from the disappointment at Lord’s with knocks of 97 and 103 at Trent Bridge.

    His first innings display was crucial for India notching up a challenging 329 on the board with his 159-run stand for the fourth wicket with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane sowing the seeds for India’s big win.

    He would not be denied his century in the second innings as he notched up his 23rd Test ton before pulling off a spectacular diving catch in the slips to dismiss Ollie Pope.

    Leading by example: Virat Kohli.

    Leading by example: Virat Kohli.

    Jos Buttler

    England’s batting might have left plenty to be desired but if there is one batsman they cannot have any complaints about, then it is Jos Buttler. The right-hander continued his remarkable summer which has seen him light up the IPL before making a triumphant return to the Test side.

    He played a lone hand with the tail for company in England’s first innings shambles before slamming a maiden Test ton in the second while forming a gritty partnership with Ben Stokes to frustrate the visitors.

    England selection chief Ed Smith might have plenty to ponder for now but there is no denying his decision to recall Buttler into the Test fold has been a masterstroke.

    A maiden Test century for the renaissance man.

    A maiden Test century for the renaissance man.

    Hardik Pandya

    The India all-rounder showed signs of finally coming off age with one of the most accurate spells of swing bowling in the first innings.

    Within a span of just 29 deliveries, Pandya sent back five of England’s batsmen as the hosts went on to incredibly lose all 10 wickets in a single session. Getting the balls to move both ways at will, Pandya showed he can develop into a dependable seam option for India in overseas conditions.

    He then displayed his abilities with the bat with a well-taken half-century in the second innings to drive home India’s advantage.

    A coming of age display from Pandya.

    A coming of age display from Pandya.

    LOSERS

    Keaton Jennings

    The England opener’s place in the squad has been under heavy scrutiny with the left-hander even dropped before being brought back for the series.

    His display at Trent Bridge will do him no favours in that regard after another twin failure with the bat. In both the innings, Jennings’ susceptibility outside the off-stump proved to be his undoing as he displayed signs of tentativeness which one would normally associate with a batsman woefully short of confidence.

    To top it all, he grassed a few chances in the slip cordon. If heads are to roll for England post their Trent Bridge defeat, then Jennings’ will be the first on the chopping block.

    The walls are closing in on Jennings.

    The walls are closing in on Jennings.

    Mohammed Shami

    India might have picked up 20 wickets in convincing fashion at Trent Bridge but Shami’s display would have fallen well short of what is expected from a strike-bowler.

    The Indian pacer was erratic with his lines and lengths in the first innings and leaked plenty of runs to relieve some of the pressure on the English batsmen.

    He fared marginally better in the second innings but not by much. Struggling to generate his rhythm, Shami was scatter-gun in his approach plenty of times and will need to exert better control over the new ball in the coming Tests if India are to keep up the pressure.

    Lack of control plagued Shami at Trent Bridge.

    Lack of control plagued Shami at Trent Bridge.

    Ollie Pope

    It is highly unfair to mention the youngster just playing in his second Test in this column but England’s selectors are doing him no favours by rushing him onto the international stage.

    While he did look composed and unflustered for the most part in both his innings, his manners of dismissals will leave England shaking their heads. In the first innings, he trickled a leg-side delivery into the hands of Rishabh Pant behind the stumps while he will quickly want to banish all memories of the shot he played to be dismissed in the second innings.

    With England under immense pressure and batting to save their lives in the second innings, Pope had a rush of blood to the head and chased at a wide and full delivery from Mohammed Shami only to edge the ball towards the slips where Kohli pulled off the spectacular.

    Pope loses his head and his wicket.

    Pope loses his head and his wicket.

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