England paid for a lack of intent, says India’s Kohli

On the third day, England bowled out India for a mere 204 runs.

Pace spearhead Mohammed Shami, who castled skipper Alastair Cook for two in the first innings, also took the key wicket of Joe Root in the morning session to leave England reeling on 79-4.

Here are five talking points of the match. He was visibly happy as he knew the ball will turn in the fourth innings.

Alastair Cook felt Virat Kohli’s knocks proved to be the difference between the two sides after the visiting team’s crushing 246-run defeat against India in the second Test. To be honest, our bowlers got more off the pitch than their fast bowlers and that was something really pleasing to see as far as me being a captain is concerned.

On nine, Root guided an off-break just past the right hand of Virat Kohli at leg slip – a poor percentage shot, fortunately not terminal.

With the next Test in Mohali starting on Saturday England face another quick turnaround and will use the time to ponder some possible alterations to the side.

Broad is also expected to be missing with the foot injury he sustained on the first day of the second Test.

“I was pretty confident that I was striking the ball well, so I can take on the bowlers before they can put pressure on us and we can put runs on the board”.

The off-spinner, who picked up his 22nd five-wicket haul in first innings, captured the first wicket of the day by having Ben Duckett caught behind for nought, ending the batsman’s brief, 16-ball stay at the crease.

India had always been searching for an all rounder to emulate the charisma of Kapil Dev and Ashwin seems to have filled the void with 4 centuries and 8 half centuries in his 41 tests. Haseeb Hameed was run out by the combined brilliance of Jayant and Saha. Pujara for one more time in this series scored his hundred. The Indian batsmen did reasonably well in the second innings as well, putting up 204 runs in hard conditions which Kohli felt put extra pressure on England. However, their dismissal led to a mini middle order collapse as Ajinkya Rahane has not been in good form. Stuart Broad, who has ruled out himself of the third Test, came in but failed to show any fight as he was trapped leg before by Jayant. Consequently, after scores of 40 and 49 not out in Rajkot, the skipper led from the front with 167 and 81 in Vizag as India finally put to bed some of their nightmarish memories against England.

“It becomes hard to take wickets when the batsman goes defensive all the time, but that is something that can work against England also”, he said. “The biggest positives are how the fast bowlers bowled and Jayant’s debut”.

Broad’s seconds-innings figures of four for 33 were his best in India.

They did well from there to concede “only” a 200-run deficit, but it was still a debilitating one.

Indian Legend Sunil Gavaskar had earlier claimed that Amit Mishra was made into a “scapegoat” after the disappointing performance in the first match.