The third Test between India and England is set to kick off from today onwards at the Headingley Carnegie cricket ground at Leeds, as all eyes will be on how the two sides act on the field, especially with how spicy things got during the second Test at London’s Lord’s cricket ground.

This is pure theatre and we are only 2 matches in

Test match cricket, never change. pic.twitter.com/yT5yvGIF3B

— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) August 18, 2021

Indian skipper Virat Kohli and England pacer James Anderson have emerged as the biggest rivalry heading into the third match, especially because of the kind of verbal exchange the two shared across all five days of the red-ball match, previously.

And while Anderson continues to talk about how he feels he was wronged by Kohli and his pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian skipper has decided to play mental chess with the Englishmen, by not allowing them the opportunity to predict how Team India and Kohli, himself will react or behave in the third Test.

Virat Kohli and James Anderson shaking hands after the play. pic.twitter.com/5SJi2MjgLJ

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 16, 2021

On the eve of the third Test, Kohli shared a piece of his mind during the virtual press conference:

“I can't give you details of the words that were spoken. It was for camera and stump mike to pick that up for both teams. And then we analysed. What’s done in the moment, give you extra motivation obviously to get together as a team more strongly.”

A perfect delivery by Jasprit Bumrah to remove Joe Root. The celebrations of Virat, Rohit and Bumrah says it all. pic.twitter.com/zPbn2s7dld

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 16, 2021

A visible change in the Indian cricketers’ body language could be seen ever since the tussle between Kohli, Bumrah, Anderson and Jos Buttler had taken place in the London match. 

From putting in extra effort in every single delivery they bowled to showing unfiltered emotions with the dismissal of English batsmen, it was the “extra motivation” which ended up working in their favour and India ended up taking a 1-0 lead in an epic fashion.

“The details of which are not necessary to be discussed after (it happened) because when you play competitive sport these things happen but it’s what you do after that situation or how you get up from that situation is what matters. For us, this is a fresh beginning, it's another opportunity to show what we can do as a team,” he added.

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While the Men in Blue will look to take a 2-0 lead with a win at Leeds, the hosts hope to tie the series at one apiece.

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