Yash Vagadia, a 21-year-old cricketer who is not part of England’s official team for the present Test series against India, took the pitch on Day 3 of the first Test at Headingley in Leeds, in an unexpected event in the game. The Indian-origin Yorkshire player replaced Ben Stokes as a substitute fielder in the eighth over after the England skipper stepped off the pitch briefly.

Yash Vagadia, who debuted for Yorkshire in the 2024 One-Day Cup, has progressively progressed through the ranks.

He started his cricketing career at the U-14 level and later captained Yorkshire’s U18 team. He signed his first professional deal in 2022 and was voted Yorkshire Academy Player of the Year that same season. Vagadia is not the only cricketer who is playing in the Test despite not being part of the official squad. Jawad Akhtar and Noah Kelly, both from Yorkshire, have been picked to serve as 12th men alongside him.

Born in Northumberland, Vagadia is only 21 years old and plays for the county side as a genuine batting option who can also bowl a few overs if necessary. He was unofficially added to the squad because Sam Cook and Jacob Bethell are playing the County Championship for their respective sides and have been released from England’s 14-man squad for the ongoing first Test.

Hosts try to minimise target on Day 4, as Indians resume at 90/2.

India finished Day 3 at 90 for 2 in their second innings, with KL Rahul unbroken on 47 and Shubman Gill on 6. The visitors currently lead by 96 runs, after losing openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) and Sai Sudharsan (30) early in the innings.

Earlier in the day, England were bowled out for 465 in their first innings, leaving them with only a six-run lead. Jasprit Bumrah was India’s best spinner, collecting five wickets despite six dropped catches. Harry Brook nearly missed out on a century, scoring 99, while Ollie Pope delivered a solid 106. Chris Woakes also vexed the Indian bowlers by scoring 38 runs with the lower-order bats.

In India’s first innings, centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant (134) helped the team reach a formidable total of 471. However, England spinners Stokes and Josh Tongue responded by capturing four wickets each to prevent India from reaching 500 runs.