And that’s a wrap of Day 3 of the second and final Test in Delhi. A day that belonged to the West Indies’ grit after India’s dominance. The match is well-poised - India hold the aces, but West Indies have belief. Can they chip away at the deficit and dream of a lead? Or will India’s bowlers storm through early tomorrow? We’ll find out soon. Join us for Day 4 on Monday, October 13, with action starting at 9.30 am IST (4 am GMT), but you know the drill, we’ll be live an hour before with all the pre-start analysis. Until then - breathe, stretch, and smile! TAKE CARE! CIAO!

Kuldeep Yadav of India is up for a quick chat, who took a five-wicket haul earlier today. He says that they started really well. Adds that the wicket was really good to bat on, and there is not much pace on it. Mentions that they had create the energy, and the plan was to attack the stumps. Says Hope and Campbell are batting nicely, and credit goes to them. Tells that he was focusing on his arm speed to generate some fizz from the wicket, which helped him. Further adds that he just wants to perform for the team, whatever the format may be. Ends by saying that you have to create magic on the field, and he was just trying to do that.

So, what next? Campbell is inching close to his maiden Test ton, Hope looks set for something big too. Can they continue the fight on Day 4? And for India, what’s the plan? Perhaps more overs from Bumrah early on, some early swing due to moisture, and tighter fields to force errors. They know the Windies are still 97 runs behind, but momentum, that tricky thing, seems to be shifting slightly. The surface? Still dry, still slow, but with enough drift and occasional low bounce to keep both teams guessing. Sundar found a good purchase today, while Kuldeep’s variations might just come alive again in the morning when the conditions will be fresh. The batters will have to dig in deep.

The final session was all about that partnership - Hope and Campbell’s unbroken 138-run stand, the biggest for West Indies in the entire series. Campbell, who had been scratchy all series, finally found rhythm, though he survived a couple of close LBW calls - still unbeaten at 87. Hope, classy as ever, brought up his first Test fifty in 31 innings, reminding everyone of the elegance that once defined his name. Together, they frustrated Kuldeep, negotiated Sundar’s drift, and made Jadeja look ordinary on a turning track. India’s bowlers toiled, but the pitch, much slower now, offered them no quick wickets.

And well, they did! The top order finally showed up with a plan - to play straight, defend longer, and leave smarter. The pair of Campbell and Chanderpaul began cautiously, but Siraj’s persistence got the better of Chanderpaul. Soon after, Washington Sundar produced a peach to send back Athanaze. India were all smiles at 35/2 at Tea, thinking of an early finish… but then came Hope. Shai Hope, with his calm assurance, and John Campbell, with his rediscovered flair, stitched together a partnership that made Delhi’s evening crowd sit up.

The Post-Lunch session had its share of mini-dramas. Could the tail wag again? Oh yes, it did, but just a little. Pierre and Phillip stretched their stand to 47 runs before Bumrah’s reverse-swing beauty ended it by knocking over Pierre's off stump. Even Jayden Seales chipped in with some handy runs, as West Indies finished at 248 all out, still 270 behind. But India’s response was bold - no hesitation, no mercy - follow-on enforced! With that, the real challenge began. Could the Windies handle it better this time?

Let’s rewind to how Day 3 began. West Indies started 140/4, buried under a mountain of runs, trailing by 378. Could they survive the spin storm? Not for long. Kuldeep Yadav had other ideas. The left-arm wizard weaved his magic yet again, picking three more in the morning to bag his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests. He toyed with the middle order, trapping batters in confusion, while Siraj chipped in with one to tighten the screws. From 156/4 to 175/8, it looked like the usual Caribbean collapse was on. But then, surprise, surprise, Khary Pierre and Anderson Phillip decided to script a resistance, frustrating India’s plans and taking the score to 217/8 at Lunch. 

STUMPS! 'The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear' - Nelson Mandela said, and today, the West Indies did just that. After being cornered for two days in Delhi, they fought back with grit and showed their character with a touch of Caribbean flair.  At stumps on Day 3, the scoreboard reads 173/2, still trailing by 97 runs, but this time, they’ve finally stood up to India’s might. Shai Hope and John Campbell played the innings of defiance - one calm, one confident - and together, they’ve carved out the visitors’ best session of the series. Yes, India still hold the upper hand, but the Windies have ensured that this contest still has a heartbeat.

Last over of Day 3 is here. And surprisingly, the skipper, Shubman Gill, has handed the ball to Yashasvi Jaiswal to roll over his arm. The crowd buzzes. He will bowl right-arm off-spin from over the wicket.