Images from Day 3 of the second Test between India and England, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s sparkling hundred put India on course for victory in the second Test against England on Day 3, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai, on Monday.
After finishing with figures of 5 for 43 in England’s first innings, the off-spinner steadied India after the loss of early wickets in the morning on Day 3 to register his fifth Test hundred. His gutsy 106 off 148 balls included 14 fours and a six.
This is the third time that Ashwin scored a century and took five wickets in the same Test. The 34-year-old is second only to England great Ian Botham, who performed the feat on five occasions.
He and skipper Virat Kohli, who scored a near-flawless 62 off 149 balls, rallied India to 286 in 85.5 overs in the second innings, leaving England with an improbable target of 482 runs on a dust bowl.
At stumps, England were already crumbling at 53 for 3. The tourists, still 429 behind, will have to come up something extraordinary to save the Test with two days left.
Daniel Lawrence and Joe Root were unbeaten with 19 and 2 respectively at close of play.
Axar Patel got India the early breakthrough in England’s second innings with the wicket of Dom Sibley (3).
The England opener played for the turn and was trapped leg before. The ball hit his back foot and the umpire raised the finger.
Rory Burns, the other opener, was next to depart, Ashwin doing the damage.
He got the ball to land in the danger area and turn. All Burns could do was edge it straight to Kohli, at second slip.
Night-watchman Jack Leach was sent back by the first delivery he faced from Axar without scoring. The batsman tried to defend a tossed up delivery, which got the edge of his bat and went into the hands of leg slip Rohit Sharma. England were 50 for 3 after 17 overs.
Morning session:
A 50-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin steadied India’s second innings as England’s spinners chipped away at the wickets in the morning on Day 3.
Kohli was unbeaten on 38 and Ashwin on 34 in India’s total of 156 for 6, and a healthy lead of 351 runs, when lunch was called.
Left-arm spinner Jack Leach (3-63) and Moeen Ali (2-46) took two wickets each in the first hour of play as the home batsmen failed to find their feet on a dusty, turning track.
Resuming their second innings on Day 3 at 54 for 1, and an overall lead of 249 runs, India looked for quick runs, but were checked in their stride by some reckless batting and good bowling by the English spinners.
Cheteshwar Pujara was the first Indian wicket to fall in the morning. After playing four dot balls against Moeen Ali safely he was run out.
A deft flick to short leg saw Ollie Pope, collect the ball and throw to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who whipped off the bails before Pujara could get his feet back in the crease.
Leach then had Rohit Sharma (26) stumped. The flight of the delivery beat the opener's defence, as he took a big stride, and wicketkeeper Foakes did well to collects the ball quickly and whip off the bails.
Rishabh Pant (8) was dismissed in similar fashion.
Leach came over the wicket to Pant, with the ball spinning in and the batsman dancing down the track, Foakes seized the opportunity, collecting well and knocking off the bails to have Pant stumped.
India were reduced to 65 for 4.
Moeen Ali then got among the wickets, inducing a hasty shot from Ajinkya Rahane (10), who lunged at the ball and got the inside edge for Pope to pull off a good catch at short leg.
Moeen struck again; this time his victim was Axar Patel (7).
The batsman was hit on the rear thigh in front of the stumps. The bowler and 'keeper went up and the umpire raised his finger.
India took the review and lost it, as replays showed the ball going on to hit the stumps. India 110-6.
Kolhi and Ashwin then stemmed the rot, adopting caution and playing the ball on its merit to swell India's lead to 351 and see India though to lunch on 156 for 6 in the second innings.
Post-lunch session
Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin gave a superb demonstration on how to bat on a turning track in a 96-run partnership for the seventh wicket as India extended their lead to a massive 416 by tea.
While Kohli scored 62 off 149 ball in an astute display of batsmanship on a dustbowl before falling to Moeen Ali for the second time in the Test, Ashwin too displayed excellent skills in scoring an unbeaten 68 off 103 balls as India went to tea on 221 for 8.
Kohli and Ashwin continued to frustrate England's bowlers after lunch in a 96 runs partnership for the seventh wicket and took India past 200 before Moeen Ali rapped Kohli, who moved back, on the pad.
The umpire raised his finger, but Kohli took the review, which showed the ball angling in, pitching in line. The decision: umpire's call, and Kohli (62) was dismissed by Moeen for the second time this match.
Moeen bagged his fourth wicket of the innings, trapping Kuldeep Yadav plumb in line and India slumped to 210 for 8. Kuldeep went for the review, which showed the ball was going to hit the stumps.
India scored 65 runs and lost two wickets in the post-lunch session as Kohli and Ashwin kept the England fielders on their toes. Moeen Ali had figures of 4 for 71 going into the tea break.
Ashwin followed up on his excellent showing with the ball in England's first innings, when he took 5 for 54, with an equally good one with the bat, emerging India's top scorer in the second essay with 68 not out at the tea break and he has still more to play off.
Post-tea session:
Ravichandran Ashwin continued his fine batting to add a magnificent fifth Test hundred to his 29th five-wicket haul in England’s first innings as India set the visitors an imposing target of 482 to win the second Test.
Enjoying a brilliant all-round outing on a surface that has tested the skill and temperament of the best batsmen from both sides, the seasoned off-spinner showed how to do it with an excellent knock of 106 off 148 balls as India were all out for 286 in their second innings.
Ashwin’s superb knock was brought to an end by medium pacer Olly stone. The batsman went another big one, missed it completely and was bowled for 106.
England’s senior spinner Moeen Ali registered impressive figures of 4 for 98, while Jake Leach took 4 for 100.
Axar Patel got India the early breakthrough in England’s second innings with the wicket of Dom Sibley (3).
The England opener played for the turn and was trapped leg before. The ball hit his back foot and the umpire raised the finger.
Rory Burns, the other opener, was next to depart, Ashwin doing the damage. He got the ball to land in the danger area and turn. All Burns could do was edge it straight to Kohli at second slip.
Night-watchman Jack Leach was sent back by the first delivery he faced from Axar without scoring. The batsman tried to defend a tossed delivery, which got the edge of his bat and went into the hands of leg slip Rohit Sharma. England were 50 for 3 after 17 overs.
Daniel Lawrence and Joe Root ensured there was no further damage, finishing unbeaten with 19 and 2 respectively, as England ended the day on 53 for 3 in their second innings after 19 overs.
