India vs England 3rd Test Day 1 highlights: Ton-up Jadeja and Rohit take IND to 326 vs ENG; Sarfaraz debuts with 50

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: First wicket for Mark Wood in this series, and it's the danger man Yashasvi Jaiswal! A great delivery from Wood which finds a thick-edge off Jaiswal towards first slip, where Joe Root makes no mistake. BIG WICKET!

22/1 in 3.5 overs

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Easy pickings for Rohit. Rohit uses Mark Wood's pace -- this one is a 144kph delivery angling into his pads -- and Rohit skilfully guides it through deep midwicket for a four. Elegance personified! Although, a delivery later, Wood beats Rohit as the latter attempts a pull shot. Careful, there!

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Another four for Jaiswal! This is an aggressive start from the young opener. A similar delivery to the one that was dispatched for four in Anderson's first over. Jaiswal doesn't find the perfect timing this time but the power is enough to clear the boundary. Anderson returns strong with a couple of deliveries moving into the left-hander. Good contest, this

17/0 in 3 overs

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Mark Wood bowls from the other end and Rohit Sharma, who returns to strike following a single from Jaiswal, leans into the shot, driving the full delivery elegantly through the covers with perfect timing and balance.

13/0 in 2 overs

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: We have an interesting battle on the cards, here. James Anderson beats Rohit Sharma's edge once and finds a thick inside edge in just four deliveries in the first over. Nevertheless, a positive start for India as they get 6 from Anderson's first.

6/0 in 1 over

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: BOUNDARY! Full from Anderson and outside off, and Jaiswal presents the full face of the bat, gets to the bottom of the ball and skillfully guides it past mid-off for a four. Jaiswal and India off-the-mark!

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: The players take the field for the first session of Day 1 in Rajkot. Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal open the proceedings for India, and James Anderson with the new ball.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Mukesh has been released from the squad to play for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy. “Mr Mukesh Kumar has been released from the India squad for the third Test against England in Rajkot. He will join his Ranji Trophy team, Bengal, for the team's next fixture before linking up with Team India in Ranchi,” a post from BCCI read on X.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: The Indian batters need to amass runs, and plenty of them, especially considering the pitch conditions described as exceptionally favourable for batting. A golden opportunity for players like Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Dhruv Jurel, who will look to establish themselves in Test cricket. There's no greater stage than a prestigious series like this to showcase one's talent and make a mark. Before that, though, it will be another test for Indian captain Rohit Sharma as he would look to break the streak of low scores

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes, appearing in his 100th Test, says he would've batted first on the Rajkot surface as well. On his landmark Test, Stokes says, “Time flies when you're having fun.”

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Four changes in India's XI from the Vizag Test:

Rohit, Jaiswal, Gill, Patidar, Sarfaraz, Jurel, Jadeja, Ashwin, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Siraj

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Ravindra Jadeja makes a return to the XI, and it's Axar Patel who takes the axe. Mohammed Siraj, as expected, also returns to the side, with Mukesh Kumar making way for the Indian pacer. As mentioned earlier, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan make debut

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: India win toss, opt to bat in Rajkot

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: We are ready for toss in the third Test! This looks a batting paradise.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: OFFICIAL! Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel will make their Test debuts in the third match of the series in Rajkot! Veteran former India spinner Anil Kumble presented Sarfaraz with his first cap, while wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik handed Jurel his debut cap before the toss. Sarfaraz's father, standing near the boundary line, turns emotional as his son is finally awarded a maiden Test cap.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Rajkot is anticipated to offer favourable conditions for batting. According to Jadeja, the pitch will initially be flat but is likely to provide some assistance to spinners as the match progresses. The weather leading up to the Test has been relatively cool, with temperatures ranging from the early 20 degree Celsius in the mornings to the low 30s in the afternoons. This consistent weather forecast bodes well for batters, as the absence of intense sunlight may delay the pitch deterioration.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: The man doesn't seem to age. James Anderson was undoubtedly the pick of the bowlers in Visakhapatnam, troubling the Indian batters throughout both innings and picking 5 wickets. Interestingly, he needs as many wickets to reach the mark only two others have breached so far: the iconic 700. Anderson has a chance to join Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (709) as only the third bowler in the game's rich history to achieve the feat. Will it happen in Rajkot?

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Joe Root's exploits in the previous series against India were crucial in pushing them to their limits for victory, but currently, he's struggling to even get off to those solid starts. The absence of those quick runs, which Root was known for, is becoming increasingly evident. Jasprit Bumrah's impact has played a pivotal role in Root's struggles, as reflected in their head-to-head battle so far - just 1 run off 10 balls faced and two dismissals. With both players rejuvenated after a break in the middle of the series, the stage is set for an intriguing continuation.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: "I think bringing in an extra seamer this week is the option we've gone with because we think that's going to give us the best chance of winning," said Ben Stokes, emphasizing the rationale behind England's decision. The strategy is based on the anticipation of pitch deterioration as the Test progresses. Stokes believes this approach will capitalize on the inexperience and vulnerability of the Indian batting lineup.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Initially considering the possibility of deploying four spinners, England instead decided to alter their strategy by opting for an extra fast bowler, Mark Wood, over a third spinner, Shoaib Bashir. Consequently, they formed a four-pronged bowling attack led by James Anderson, supported by Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley in the spin department, with Joe Root offering more than just additional support. Anderson had been brilliant in the second Test, posing significant difficulties for the Indian batting order, thus allowing England to have an extra seamer to support the veteran pacer.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: On a positive note, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is poised for a return in his home ground, the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. However, leading up to the game, the team management is confronted with a selection dilemma concerning the bowling unit, particularly with Jadeja's inclusion in the playing XI. Jadeja's presence necessitates a decision between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. The choice will depend on several factors, such as the pitch conditions and the team's tactical approach. Axar was crucial with the bat in the lower order in India's second innings in Vizag, while Kuldeep, too, has turned up with key breakthroughs across both innings in the previous Test.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: In the last match, Rajat Patidar was handed his debut cap after KL Rahul was ruled out of the Test with a calf injury. With Rahul remaining unavailable and Shreyas Iyer also being dropped from the squad, Team India might be inclined towards awarding another debut cap -- most likely to Sarfaraz Khan. After a long wait that almost seemed an eternity, Sarfaraz was given a maiden Test call-up for this series after years of consistent performances in the domestic circuit. Throw in an inconsistent KS Bharat, and we can potentially have a second debut on the cards with a young Dhruv Jurel replacing his senior counterpart.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: 24, 39, 14, and 13. These were the Indian captain's scores across the first two Tests of the series against England. On three occasions, he initiated promising innings only to face dismissals, and it's not just the exits themselves but the manner in which they occurred. In Hyderabad, he attempted to take on Jack Leach but was caught by Ben Stokes. In Visakhapatnam, a flick off Shoaib Bashir resulted in a catch by Ollie Pope. With Virat Kohli or Cheteshwar Pujara absent to stabilize the innings and no Rishabh Pant to provide lower-order firepower, it's imperative for the Indian skipper to assert dominance and lead the batting lineup effectively in that batting order.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: Originally billed as a showdown between Indian spinners and England's batters, the series is unfolding in unexpected ways. With the Indian team no longer holding sway at home, the spotlight has shifted to a vulnerable Indian middle-order, especially in the absence of Virat Kohli. With Kohli not available and KL Rahul also ruled out of the match in Rajkot, India will certainly look to better their performance from the Vizag Test, where Yashasvi Jaiswal's double century was the saving grace in the first innings. Jaiswal scored more than half the runs in the batting order as his 209 propelled India to a competitive score of 396.

India vs England Live Score 3rd Test Day 1, IND vs ENG: As unusual as it sounds, there had been speculations over Jasprit Bumrah being potentially given rest for the third Test in Rajkot. It may not be a particularly wise decision, however. Bumrah has been the life and soul of the Indian bowling throughout the series thus far, and practically carried the pace attack in the second Test, where he received little help from fellow partner Mukesh Kumar. Even as Mohammed Siraj is expected to return to the playing XI in the third Test, the presence of Bumrah will significantly bolster India's bowling threat in Rajkot.