Cheteshwar Pujara optimistic for India despite losing late wickets to England

India vs New Zealand Test at Mohali in 2003-04 and India vs South Africa Test at Kolkata in 2009-10 had witnessed six centuries in the first two innings of a Test match.

Indian captain Virat Kohli joined Murali Vijay at the crease and the duo put on 41 for the third wicket before the Vijay was sent back by Adil. In all, he faced 206 deliveries and hit 17 fours.

England’s total was the highest by a visiting team in India since the West Indies made 590 at Mumbai in November 2011. England was the last to do it when it had scored 523 runs in Kolkata. “We have spent time talking about the game and the format”.

“I really enjoy batting at No5”. “To be very honest, I was hoping to get a double hundred”. However, England found two quick wickets late in the day to tilt the momentum slightly in their favour.

“We saw in Cape Town how he played there earlier this year, we’ve seen him grind out a hundreds as well and also play smart innings”. Today was a ideal innings.

“He’s becoming a fantastic all-rounder”.

India still trail England by another 218 runs despite the mammoth effort from Pujara and Vijay.

Moeen (117) wouldn’t last too long though as he was bowled offering no shot to Mohammed Shami in the seventh over of the day.

Stokes had scored ducks in his three previous knocks against India but proved the star of the show on this occasion, striking 13 fours and two sixes in a 235-ball 128.

There was, however, no respite for the Indian bowlers as Stokes and Jonny Bairstow added another 99 for the sixth wicket before the latter was caught behind off Shami. 130 runs came in the morning session, before Saha finally held one to dismiss Bairstow.

With first Woakes and then Broad, who bowled a spell of 5-4-1-0, strangling the scoring rate at the other end, Vijay added just 7 runs in 49 balls.

“Obviously, we want to build partnerships together as bowlers, but from a personal point of view I want to bowl them and take more wickets”.

“It has happened so many times in cricket that you drop someone and that batsman will go on on to score a hundred”.

“I think we’re going to see so much of him with different innings throughout his career”, Moeen said. This is the best best batting average by any Indian pair which has collected more than 2,000 runs in Tests. The move clearly helped his team as they crossed the 500-run mark.

First session of day three belonged to India.

Stokes was then caught behind just before the scheduled teatime.

“They obviously played quite well towards the end”. I know there wasn’t much spin but we didn’t just prod around.