India make steady progress despite gritty Root innings

Alastair Cook and Co. would be really disappointed with their overall effort in Mohali.

“It was a good toss to win”, said captain Alastair Cook.

Resuming from the overnight 78-4, England added only four runs before losing Gareth Batty lbw to Ravindra Jadeja (2-39).

“The challenge is try and put in that performance in which consistently, over five days, we play well”.

Root’s composed 78 helped erased the deficit and an unbeaten 59 by Hameed, batting down the order after breaking his finger, ensured India had a three-figure target to chase after bowling out England for 236 in the afternoon session.

He came out to bat at number eight and frustrated the Indian bowlers despite clearly being in pain. India go 2-0 up in the series.

With the finish in sight, Pujara was caught sweeping off Adil Rashid (1-28). The batsman top-edged it and Root grabbed the catch at short fine.

Root held the innings from the other end as he brought up his 25th Test fifty but on the other end there was not much of a support.

Patel stormed to 67 runs off 54 balls as India overhauled the 103-run target a short while after the tea break on the fourth day of the Test. India’s No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara is at the eighth position with 760 rating points. The match turned on the back of India showing better skill than England as opposed to them exploiting home advantage.

Chasing 103 for win, India lost the wicket of Murali Vijay (0) early.

The 19-year-old Hameed batted in pain to score an unbeaten 59 in the 2nd innings on Tuesday. Just before Buttler was starting to look unsafe, Jayant Yadav sent him back to the pavilion for 17.

Hameed and Root were involved a 45-run partnership before the latter edged Jadeja to Ajinkya Rahane in the slips. England lost their sixth wicket of Jos Buttler (18) at 107 in 46.4 overs.

Mohali: India have spun the third Test on its head on day three after the lower order’s superb batting show and England’s defensive tactics.

Indian captain Virat Kohli today (November 29) heaped praise on England’s young opener Haseeb Hameed and predicted he would be a “future star” in all forms of the game.

This was after a courageous half-century by injured Haseeb Hameed helped England finish their second innings at 236.