Key Points

India find themselves in a challenging spot, with England posting 544/7 by stumps on Day 3 and taking a commanding 186-run lead. With the surface showing significant wear and tear, the visitors will need to stage a strong comeback to keep the series alive.

While assessing the current situation, Ponting has deemed England as "red-hot favourites" but expects India to put up a fight, considering their past experience of playing on worn-out pitches.

"I thought England were red-hot favourites this morning if the first session went well, and the whole day has gone just about perfectly. But, what I would say, is that India are used to playing on wearing pitches with variable bounce and bit of turn. I wouldn't rule out them being hard to dismiss in the second innings," Ponting said as quoted from Sky Sports.

Ollie Pope, who dazzled with a composed 71(128) but perished against Washington Sundar's off-spin, decoded the current situation of the turf. Pope was surprised to see Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar's ball turn on the third day in a Test in England, a rare sight that happens for ball tweakers once in a blue moon.

He admitted that the entire England unit is aware that when they come out to bat again, gunning down India's target will be a tricky affair under inscrutable conditions. The only way to ensure their success would be to make early inroads when India batters take the crease for their second turn.

"It is pretty clear there is some turn out there and a few balls are shooting [through low]. It is not what we expect in England on a day-three pitch. We are well aware when we come to bat again that it is going to be tough work, so hopefully we can make early inroads when we bowl," he said.

Throughout the third day, the Three Lions roared in Manchester, courtesy of Joe Root's record-shattering 150. After his dismissal, England captain Ben Stokes led from the front and ended the day unbeaten on 77 with Liam Dawson playing the second fiddle with his composed 22*. The fate of the Test would depend on how many runs England can conjure on the board before India returns to change the highly expected outcome.

- ANI