India vs England, 3rd Test, Day 2: Ashwin, Jadeja put India in control
Mohali: Knocks from Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara helped India gain a bit of an upper hand over England after the end of the second day’s play in Mohali, on Sunday.
While Murali Vijay and Parthiv Patel gave India a good start, two quick wickets by Adil Rashid put the hosts in a spot of bother. However, it were the spinners, who bailed India out at the end of day’s play, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja notched up an unbeaten 67-run partnership.
Thanks to the effort by Ashwin and Jadeja, India are back in a commanding position again, and trail England by 12 runs with four wickets still in hand.
India: 271/6 (84 overs)
STUMPS! That's the end of the second day's play in Mohali, as India end proceedings being just 12 runs behind England. Although england pegged the hosts back for a while after tea, India managed to get themselves back into the driver's seat, with the help of Ashwin and Jadeja's unbeaten 67-run stand.
India: 268/6 (81.3 overs)
Ravichandran Ashwin brings up his half century with a brilliant boundary off Ashwin's bowling. The all-rounder has stabilised the Indian innings with his calm knock.
India: 204/6 (64.3 overs)
Wicket! And this is a big one - Skipper Virat Kohli is dismissed by Ben Stokes on 62. Kohli knicked the length delivery to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, who took the catch. The wicket has fell at a crucial moment for India, they were slowly building the innings after losing three quick wickets post-tea.
India: 181/5 (60.3 overs)
Fifty! Skipper Virat Kohli brings up his half-century off 111 balls. R Ashiwn and Kohli have stabilised the Indian innings after India gave away the advantage post-tea. India still trail by 102 runs.
India: 156/5 (54.1 overs)
WICKET! The wickets are tumbling for India. Jos Buttler sends in a brilliant throw from the deep to dismiss debutant Karun Nair. There was a bit of misunderstanding between Kohli and Nair, but Buttler's brilliant throw was what did the trick there.
India: 152/4 (53.1 overs)
WICKET! Rashid has picked up yet another wicket. Spins the ball a long way to deceive Rahane for an lbw.
India: 148/3 (52 overs)
WICKET! Rashid strikes after tea! Pujara clears his front leg to pull a short delivery, but it catches the top edge of his bat and swirls into the air towards Woakes at deep mid-wicket. The latter took a smart diving catch to get Pujara out.
India: 148/2 (51 overs)
Both Pujara and Kohli have played the England bowlers very patiently, and with a lot of respect. As a result of this, India are in a great position, going into tea on Day 2, trailing by just 135 runs.
India: 132/2 (48.3 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara birngs up yet another 50, stroking the ball to the leg side. Both him and Kohli have done well to secure the Indian innings after the departure of the two openers Vijay and Patel.
India: 73/2 (26 overs)
WICKET! Adil Rashid gets the important wicket! Parthiv Patel was looking dangerous out on the crease, but a huge turne does the wicketkeeper-batsman in. Umpire Marias Erasmus had originally given it not-out, but a review showed that the decision was overturned.
India: 60/1 (22 overs)
LUNCH! India have consolidated their innings after the Vijay wicket. Parthiv Patel is making a great case for his re-selection, with a solid 37 from 73 in the top order. Pujara is playing the sheet-anchor role from the other end.
India: 39/1 (14.4 overs)
WICKET! Ben Stokes strikes first! Murali Vijay pokes at a short and wide delivery, and edges it to wicketkeeper Bairstow. The umpire had originally ruled it to be not-out, but Vijay takes the long walk anyway. Replays showed that there was a thick outside edge.
India: 18/0 (5.2 overs)
Parthiv Patel immediately calls for the DRS, after umpire Marias Erasmus raised his finger after an appeal by Woakes. The England bowler had banged it short into Patel's ribs, as the southpaw attempted to play a defensive shot on the back foot. The ball seemed to catch the edge of the bat as it flew to Bairstow. However, the review showed that the ball flicked off Patel's shirt, rather than his bat, rendering the decision reversed.
England: 283 all out (91.1 overs)
WICKET! Shami wraps up the England innings as Batty misjudges the line of the ball, which went on to hit his pads. England called for a review, but hawk-eye suggests that the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.
England: 268/9 (91.1 overs)
WICKET! Picks up his second wicket of the innings from the very first ball of the day. Adli Rashid was left stranded as the perfect seam-up delivery caught the outside edge of his bat and flew towards wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.
Mohali: India have started the third Test on the front foot, plucking eight England wickets for just 268 runs on the first day.
It is an uphill task for England on the second day, as they will be looking to put as many runs on the board as possible, before unleashing their strong bowling attack on the Indians.
The Mohali pitch has already shown signs of being a spin-friendly track, and the English spin-duo of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali. Umesh Yadav also said after the end of first day’s play, that the pitch had a bit of reverse swing in it as well, which could make things interesting for the England bowlers, if they managed to get a few wickets in the early overs.
It was an all-round performance by the Indian bowlers on day 1, with Umesh Yadav, Jayant Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja taking two wickets each. Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin took the other two wickets.
Jonny Bairstow was the pick of the England batsmen, as he scored a valliant 89, on a day when the Indian bowlers clearly ruled the proceedings. Jos Buttler gave him good support down the other end for a while, before the two were dismissed by Jayant and Jadeja, respectively.
Scoreboard
England: 268/8 (Bairstow 89, Buttler 43; Jayant 2-49, Jadeja 2-56)
