Dawid Malan celebrated his return to the England Test team with a classy fifty on the second day of the third Test against India in Leeds. He was trusted to bat at an all-important number three position and did not disappoint the team management with crisp strokes all around the wicket.
The Leeds Test is his first long-format game at the international level since the first Test of the series against India in 2018. The return to the side and form in the longest format augurs well for the hosts who were looking quite shaky at the top of the order.
He was added to the England squad after the failure of Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley in the first two Tests and the hosts will be delighted for him coming good with the bat.
He came out to bat after a 100-run partnership between the openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed and brought another three-figure partnership with skipper Joe Root to put India way behind the game.
At the other end, Joe Root carried on his merry way and brought yet another fifty of the series.
Earlier, India hit rock bottom on the first day after getting bowled out for a mere 78 and not being able to take even a single wicket on the first day. James Anderson, Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson ripped the heart out of their batting lineup.