Ind vs Eng, 1st Test: Pant counter-attacks after Kohli, Rahane fail to impress

At the tea break, India's score reads 154/4, trailing the visitors by 424 runs.

Chennai: India lost wickets of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the second session on day three of the ongoing first Test as England continued to show their dominance on Sunday here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

At the tea break, India’s score reads 154/4, trailing the visitors by 424 runs. For the hosts, Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara are currently unbeaten on 54 and 53 respectively. The second session on day three saw 95 runs being scored in 27 overs.

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Resuming the second session on day three at 59/2, India was not able to score free-flowing runs and both Kohli and Pujara were bogged down and this brought about Kohli’s (11) dismissal in the 25th over of the innings. The Indian skipper was sent back to the pavilion by Dom Bess and this wicket brought Ajinkya Rahane to the middle.

Rahane (1) failed to leave a mark as he was dismissed by Bess and this dismissal left the hosts staring down the barrel at 73/4. However, the credit for Rahane’s dismissal goes completely to skipper Joe Root as he took a stunning catch. Rahane stepped out of his crease and he drove the ball to the left of the cover, but Root dived with his hand outstretched and he grabbed the ball with his left hand.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Pant then joined Pujara in the middle and the duo ensured that the hosts did not lose more wickets in the second session. Pant took a special liking to Jack Leach and the left-handed batsman registered four sixes against him. Pant and Pujara have extended their partnership to 81 runs.

Earlier in the first session on day three, Rohit Sharma (6) and Shubman Gill (29) failed to get going as they were dismissed by Jofra Archer after England posted a total of 578.

At the lunch break on day three, India’s score read 59/2. For the hosts, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli were unbeaten on 20 and 4 respectively. The first session on day three saw 82 runs being scored in 24.1 overs.

On day two of the ongoing first Test, skipper Joe Root registered a double-ton and he became the first player to score a double century in his 100th Test. Root was finally sent back to the pavilion after playing a knock of 218 by Shahbaz Nadeem.

Brief Scores: England 578; India 154/4 (Rishabh Pant 54*, Cheteshwar Pujara 53*, Dominic Bess 2-27).