India fight back thanks to centuries from Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara

“The plan is really simple – to first reach that mark of 537”, said Pujara.

“When the time is right, and I’m playing well, I will still hit over the top”. We talked a lot in Bangladesh about how to hold lines, hold lengths.

26 sixes from Murali Vijay – third most sixes by any Indian opener in Tests after Virender Sehwag – 88 sixes as an opener and Navjot Singh Sidhu – 34 sixes as an opener. “I wasn’t moving my feet too well yesterday and the singles were there for me to take but I just played the situation”, he said. “It keeps me in the game for longer, while still letting me have a break after bowling, if I’ve been in the field for a long time”. I think we’ve learned an very bad lot today.

The pitch continued to play true, as the match seemed headed for a draw. His strike rate of 41.86 in this innings is his second-lowest among centuries. Play was extended by half hour but 4.3 overs remained to be bowled at stumps.

Statistically, Pujara and Vijay also completed 2000 runs together at an average of 65.09, best for Indian pairs with 2k or more runs.

Stokes, though, finally dismissed the 28-year-old when he tempted him into a loose cut outside off stump that was taken by Alastair Cook at slip.

# Vijay has registered four hundreds in Tests at home and three away from home.

Amit Mishra (1-98) then brought the innings to a close trapping Ansari lbw just before tea. The Delhi left-hander, who has made a comeback to the Test squad after a prolonged absence, hit four boundaries during his 72-delivery stay in the middle.

And although the wicketkeeper edged behind his rapid 46 helped England go into lunch on 450-6 having plundered 139 runs in the session.

He said: “Going into the last 10 minutes of the day we were saying one more wicket will give the boys a lift but to get two has been huge”. Shami and Umesh Yadav snared up couple apiece, with the latter being the unlucky bowler of the day.

The match is expected to fizzle out. However, at Rajkot, things can change quickly on days four and five.

“I did not feel I was ready in the summer, but now I feel like I have got the batting back and hopefully you will be seeing the results”. We make no excuses at trying to make it as hard as possible to score.

The morning session saw India lose opener Gautam Gambhir (29) to Broad, who struck with his first ball of the day. Chris Woakes did hit him on the helmet thrice, but apart from him no English bowler looked threatening at all.

Gambhir had few problems the previous evening, and safely negotiated the first over of the day from Moeen Ali, but got himself in a tangle against Broad.

But in between they showed grit aplenty against some tight and probing bowling, especially from Broad and Chris Woakes to remain unconquered after batting for almost the entire duration of two sessions.