Ind vs Eng 5th Test, Day 3: KL Rahul leads India comeback, misses 200
KL Rahul has played a well-paced innings, compensating for the Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli.
Chennai: India fought back on the third day of the fifth and final Test against England, to finish at 391 for four, at the Chepauk Stadium, in Chennai, on Sunday.
KL Rahul led India’s comeback, scoring a 311-ball 199, to steer India out of the troubled waters on a pitch that does not seem to have much for the bowlers on it.
The England bowlers toiled all day on the barren pitch, on which wickets seemed to be at a premium.
In a disappointing progression of events, KL Rahul failed to score his maiden double century, after he got out to a poor ball by Rashid ali, fishing wide outside the off stump.
India: 372/4 from 102.3 overs
Out! What a heartbreaker. Rahul, out caught by Jos Buttler off Adil Rashid's bowling. Everyone is stunned at the Chepauk stadium. He was brilliant throughout the innings but faltered on the brink of the maiden double ton.
India: 368/3 from 102 overs
The partnership is now over 150-run mark. India now trail buy 109 runs, Rahul is slowly incing towards his maiden double ton, he is five runs away.
India: 340/3 from 95 overs
Rahul and Nair have put India in a very strong position, the partnership between the duo is now worth 129 runs. Meanwhile, Nair has brought up his first fifty in Tests. This is his third Test match.
India: 291/3 from 84 overs
KL Rahul brings up his 150-run mark with a delicate flick off the bads against Joe Root's delivery.
India: 256/3 from 74 overs
Tea! Two wickets fell in this session for India as they lost both Pujara and Kohli. India have reached 256/3 at Tea. Rahul is batting on 133, Nair is unbeaten on 19. India still trail by 221 runs.
India: 236/3 from 70 overs
The scoring rate has come down a little since Kohli's dismissal. Both the Karnataka batsmen Rahul and Karun Nair are batting cautiously. India trail by 243 runs.
India: 211/3 from 61 overs
Big wicket! Captain Virat Kohli, out caught by Keaton Jennings at cover off Stuart Broad's bowling. A rare failure for Kohli. Broad bowled a fuller leg-cutter delivery and Kohli ended up hitting it straight to the cover fielder. India trail by 266 runs.
India: 197/2 from 53 overs
Hundred! KL Rahul brings up his 4th Test century, his first of the series and also his first Test century in India. India now trail by 280 runs.
India: 181/2 from 51 overs
Out! Ben Stokes removes Cheteshwar Pujara, who is out caught by Alastair Cook at first slip. There was just a slight hint of some movement and ball that was pitched outside off stump took an edge off Pujara's bat.
Chennai: The morning session clearly belonged to the host nations, the Indian team has added 113 runs to their overnight score and now trail England by 304 runs.
KL Rahul completed his half century and is now only 11 runs away from his Test century. Parthiv Patel also struck a half century, he was removed by Moeen Ali.
There is not much support in the pitch for the bowlers and English bowlers have looked pretty ordinary in the morning session.
India: 173/1 from 48 overs
Lunch! A very satisfying session for India. The hosts have added 113 runs this morning and have lost only one wicket.
India: 152/1 from 42 overs
Out! Parthiv Patel, out caught by Buttler off Moeen Ali's bowling. The opening partnership is broken. Parthiv tried to play it against the spin and ended up giving a leading edge to extra cover.
India: 145/0 from 40 overs
It's going to be a long day for the bowlers, there is hardly any support for them in the pitch, also the bowling has been pretty ordinary by the visiting team bowlers. Parthiv Patel has also completed his half century, second of the series. India now trail by 332 runs.
India: 104/0 from 30 overs
100-run partnership comes up for India. It's after 32 innings that Indian openers have reached the 100-run stand. Indian now trail by 373 runs.
India: 97/0 from 28 overs
Fifty! KL Rahul brings up his fifty with a double off Broad's bowling. A very welcome fifty, first of the series. India trail by 379 runs.
India: 81/0 from 25 overs
India now trail by 396 runs. Rahul is looking in a very good touch and have smashed two sixes off Dawson's bowling, he's 5 runs away from his fifty.
India: 62/0 from 21 overs
We are underway. Liam Dawson bowled the first over. Stuart Broad will bowl the second over of the day. India trail by 415 runs.
Chennai: Welcome to Day 3 of fifth and final Test between Indian and England in Chennai.
India will look to continue their good start in the first innings after they finished the second day's play at 60/0 in return to England's massive 477. KL Rahul (30) and Parthiv Patel (29) will resume batting for India.
The second day belonged to the visitors as lower order English batsmen ensured that they make a strong start to the final Test in the series, which they have already lost 3-0.
India managed to scalp three wickets in the first session on Day 2, but Adil Rashid (60) and Liam Dawson (66 not out) frustrated India after Moeen Ali (146) and Joe Root (88) laid a solid foundation for England’s big total.
England were 321 for 7 when Moeen got out. However, the last three wickets added 156 runs to set up a mammoth total before India.