The fourth match of the ICC World Test Championship series between the Indian cricket team and the England cricket team is standing equally after three days of action at the Kennington Oval in London. The home team won the toss and decided to bowl first. Chris Woakes’ four-wicket haul assisted the home side in restricting the Indian cricket team to a total below 200.
In reply, half-centuries from Woakes and Ollie Pope helped the England cricket team take a first-innings lead of 99 runs. The Indian cricket team ended Day 3 with an unbeaten 43-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Since the visitors did not lose any wickets on the third day, one can say that they can set a big target for the England cricket team in the second innings.
Amid the intense on-field battle, there was a heart-warming moment on the sidelines
While the Indian cricket team and the England cricket team are facing off in a Test match at the Kennington Oval, there was one moment that delighted the entire cricket universe. It happened on the sidelines. It was when Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami celebrated his birthday with the fans.
Nice to see England fans Also celebrate Shami birthday pic.twitter.com/zsLIr22E7K
— Himanshu@sidhearts (@Himansh08188276) September 3, 2021
Shami, who is not playing in the Kennington Oval Test match, cut the cake with the Indian fans. Fans on Twitter and other social media platforms were happy to see this heart-warming moment. They also wished the Indian cricketer on his birthday.
Nice gesture from Shami, cutting the cake as he celebrated his birthday with an Indian fan in the ground. pic.twitter.com/t2k5iC26a1
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 3, 2021
Why is Mohammed Shami not playing in the Kennington Oval Test match against the England cricket team?
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami was a part of the Indian cricket team’s playing XI for the previous Test matches on the United Kingdom tour. However, he is not playing in London right now. At the toss on Day 1 of the fourth Test match between the Indian cricket team and the England cricket team, visiting captain Virat Kohli revealed that he had made two changes to his match squad.
One of them was Ishant Sharma being out, and the other player missing was Mohammed Shami. To replace the two fast bowlers, the Indian cricket team added Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav to the playing XI. Kohli revealed that the changes were made because the fast bowlers had a niggle.
