ENG vs IND | Twitter in awe as Archer delivers stunning riposte and grander send-off to end Pant theatrics

The third Test between India and England culminated into one of the most hostile affairs in recent cricket history, with both contingents not holding back their remarks and disdain for the other while backing it up with their performances on the field. Day 3 of the encounter had nearly boiled over when Zak Crawley and Shubman Gill squared up to each other, paving the path for a perfectly set-up final day where India needed some 130-odd to win with six wickets in hand. To begin proceedings were England's best bowlers by far in the encounter, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, the latter seeking to take the Men in Blue to victory in his comeback Test after four years. The pitch had assumed a tricky demeanour to make matters worse for incumbent batters Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, but the wicket-keeper was not ready to let the situation dictate his game.

Pant began his knock with a four off the pads on his second ball, only for Archer to follow with a searing inswinging yorker, a skiddish inducker fired straight at the stumps, and a couple angler-ins to cage the batter in. When the quick thus returned for his next over, he could not have been faulted for thinking he had the thorough upper hand in the battle -- exactly the mindset Pant loves to predate on. Archer continued his plans with another inswinging yorker to stamp his authority before dropping his length a little, unaware Pant was all too ready. The youngster danced down the track and with a resounding swing of the bat thrashed the Dukes past Archer for four runs. Yet, the shot only seemed to fire up the quick even further, as just two balls later he hit the perfect length with the angle before making it straighten off the deck to bamboozle Pant. His bat was left waiting for contact while the red cherry rattled into his off-stump to send it for a walk, the otherworldly followed by a equally devastating send-off for a perfect finish to the battle.

Twitter could not be more entertained.     

Knocked down

Good question

Cartwheel

Siraj fined

Another one

Cinema

Sir Siraj Richards

Ball of the day

Pant's off

Big blow