ENG vs IND: 4th Test – Rohit and Pujara take India into ascendency on day three
After conceding a 99-run first-innings lead, India made a resounding comeback on day three with some really good partnerships. Resuming the day on 43 for 0, England managed to break the opening stand of 83 runs. But then a partnership between Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara took India well beyond the first-innings deficit. They were both dismissed by the end of the day’s play, but those were the only three wickets England got.
At stumps on day three, India was 270 for 3, with a 171-run lead. Here are the talking points:
Rohit Sharma hits his maiden overseas Test ton
Since Rohit started opening in Test cricket, there was a lot of scepticism around whether he would be able to handle tough conditions, like England. Through this series, he proved everyone wrong with his technical brilliance. On the day when he went past 3000 Test runs, he also smashed his eighth Test century, which happens to be his first overseas ton in the format. He eventually fell for 127 runs, but his knock put India in the driver’s seat.
Cheteshwar Pujara stands up again, just when required
Pujara seems to be at a stage of his career when each time he doesn’t score, everyone writes him off and then he bounces back with another good knock. At the Oval on day three, when arrived on the crease, India were still behind England’s 99-run lead and needed a good partnership. His 61-run knock was a total breath of fresh air and the way he controlled his shot selections, it seemed that he was back in form.
Ollie Robinson’s spell with the second new ball
At 236 for 1, it seemed that it was all gone and lost for England. Spell after spell, the stand between Rohit and Pujara had tired down the English bowlers. But, Robinson who has been incredibly successful in this series so far, managed to give another hope to England with the second new ball. He picked Rohit with a half-hearted short ball which hurried on him and then he bowled a superb incoming delivery to Pujara which just got a faint edge to the slips. Dismissing two set batters in the same over would have been something that got England a little something to cheer for.
