India vs England | Ashwin leads India towards first-innings lead in third Test
The Indian top order set the hosts on course for a good first-innings lead before they collapsed in a heap to settle for 271/6 in reply to England’s 283 on day 2 of the third Test at Mohali. R Ashwin holds fort for India with 57 runs after fifties from Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli set the platform
Brief scores : England 283 ( Bairstow 88, Buttler 43, Shami 3/63, Jayant Yadav 2/49) vs India 271/6 ( Kohli 62, Ashwin 57, Rashid 3/81, Stokes 2/48)
Mohammed Shami ended the remainder of the England innings within just fourteen minutes of the day. England could add only 15 runs on the second day before getting being all-out for 283.
Parthiv justifies his inclusion
Playing a Test match after eight years, one would have expected Parthiv Patel to be a little nervous, when he walked out to open the innings with Murali Vijay. Instead, the Gujarat-wicketkeeper showed remarkable composure and was more fluent than his partner. Vijay started well by hitting two boundaries- one off Chris Woakes and
Parthiv, joined by Pujara, kept propelling the innings further with attractive strokeplay. Although he was given out after missing a flick off Chris Woakes, which was duly
After getting a life-line, the Gujarat skipper looked more assured. With pleasant cover-drives, Patel proved that his selection in the national team was no fluke. With a confident Pujara at the other end, India went to the lunch with 60/1.
Parthiv dismissed, but Kohli-Pujara keep the team in good stead
Parthiv Patel lost his concentration after lunch, and a clever review by the Englishmen ended his stay on 42. After stepping out a long way to play Adil Rashid, Parthiv got struck on the pads. As he had moved a long way outside the stumps, the on-field umpire ruled him not out, but England used the DRS at the perfect time to have the comeback man.
Although England kept piling on the pressure by extracting some reverse swing, Virat
With an unbroken partnership of 75 runs, India went to the Tea, with 148/2.
England
The third session of the day nullified all the good work done by the team since then as Cheteshwar Pujara, who slammed 13th half-century of the year, got out almost immediately. Trying to hit Adil Rashid for a six over mid-wicket, Pujara mistimed the shot and Chris Woakes took a brilliant catch.
Adil Rashid, who has been on a rampant form this season, had the valuable wicket of Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. Rashid’s googly beat the inside edge of the bat and hit Rahane dead on the front pad. Rahane went for a review, but it was in vain.
Debutant Karun Nair couldn’t do much as some confusion between him and Virat Kohli resulted in his run-out. Kohli pushed one towards the backward point and wanted a quick single, but kept his eyes on the ball and the fielder. Nair was half-way down the pitch and there was no way he could have got back in time.
While at one end, the wickets were tumbling, Virat Kohli dabbed an out-swinger from Stokes to the third man to complete his customary fifty. Ravichandran Ashwin also joined Virat and tried to take the scorecard to a good position, but Ben Stokes managed to have Kohli caught behind by Jonny Bairstow to bring an end to a calm innings.
After the dismissal of Virat Kohli, Ashwin remained on to keep the scoreboard ticking with absolute ease. Partnering Ravindra Jadeja in the middle, the No.1 all-rounder of the world, led a late surge as the duo slammed boundaries to take India to within striking distance of England’s score of 283 at 271 runs for the loss of six wickets.