Mohammed Siraj took a crucial wicket for India on Day 3 of the 1st Test at Headingley, dismissing England captain Ben Stokes with a classic outswinger. With England positioned at 276/4—still trailing India’s massive first-innings total of 471—Siraj delivered a good length ball just outside the off stump. The ball pitched and moved away, and Stokes, tempted into a loose poke away from his body, edged it behind. Rishabh Pant did the rest with a clean catch. Stokes, who made 20 off 52 balls, looked dejected, hanging his head and walking off slowly, aware that he had played a poor shot to a good ball.

India had seized early control of the Test by piling on 471, led by brilliant centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant (134). England started Day 3 at 225/3 with Ollie Pope on 106, but India struck early through Prasidh Krishna, who removed Pope in the morning session. Siraj’s wicket of Stokes further disrupted England’s recovery and handed India a much-needed breakthrough.

The Headingley pitch, bathed in constant cloud cover, provided plenty of movement, and India's fast bowlers fully capitalized on the conditions. Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah had laid the foundations on Day 2 by sending Crawley, Duckett, and Root back. Siraj, with rhythm and purpose, bowling, and Krishna complementing from the other side with neat lines, has put England's middle order under strain.

Momentum Shift: Siraj’s Outswinger Rocks England

With cloud cover thickening and showers forecast later in the day, India will look to capitalize. At stumps in the second session, England are 293/5 in 69 overs, still trailing by 178 runs. Harry Brook remains unbeaten on 46 off 59 balls, while Jamie Smith is on 0* off 15 balls.

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The English captain @benstokes38 is gone! @mdsirajofficial gets his first of the match as #TeamIndia tightens its grip on the game.#ENGvIND 1st Test Day 3 LIVE NOW Streaming on JioHotstar 👉 https://t.co/SIJ5ri9N8a pic.twitter.com/PEBRVW3su6

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 22, 2025

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Siraj’s dismissal of Stokes may prove pivotal. It wasn’t just a captain’s wicket—it was a shift in tone. India’s bowling unit, led by Bumrah and Siraj, now eyes a collapse that could hand them a firm grip on the first Test at Headingley.