Ind Vs Eng, 3rd Test, Day 1: England Reach 268/8 At Stumps

Mohali: India have started the third Test on the front foot, plucking eight England wickets for just 268 runs on the first day. Jonny Bairstow is the only English batsman who fought well against the Indian spinners and scored 89 in 177 balls.

Stokes interrupted his trudge off to look over the content of comments apparently directed by India captain Virat Kohli at him, but resumed his departure before any ill-feeling could escalate. Bairstow, though, was convinced of the value of the review and he was vindicated when the ball was shown to be hitting leg stump.

Brief scores: England 268/8 in 90 overs (Bairstow 89, Buttler 43; Yadav 2/58, Jayant 2/56).

England’s batting mainstay fluffed a pull shot across the line and was trapped LBW to a perfectly innocuous delivery from the off-spinner.

However, England went into the final session with Bairstow suddenly getting into the shell and that increased pressure on Buttler to up the ante.

India suffered a big blow even before a ball was bowled as KL Rahul was ruled out of the team after aggravating the hamstring injury he had suffered during the New Zealand series at the nets on Friday.

Pujara carefully made his way to 51 not out as India cruised along to 148-2 at tea after England was bowled out before lunch for 283.

Bairstow teamed up with Buttler to add 69 runs for the sixth wicket in a relatively more productive second session.

“It could have been something, if we didn’t knuckle down and work hard through that last bit of the morning session, we could have been bowling tonight”. “We could have been bowling tonight”.

Having won the toss, Alastair Cook enjoyed an early reprieve as an edge off Mohammed Shami flashed through the hands of Ravindra Jadeja at third slip. A delivery from Umesh spat off a length and smashed into Hameed’s top glove, forcing him to drop the bat as the ball looped to gully.

Cook, meanwhile, led a charmed life with Ravindra Jadeja failing to pouch an edge and Ravichandran Ashwin spilling a sitter.

The stodgy Woakes also provided some support to Bairstow and the duo added 45 runs for the seventh wicket. But a return to pace ended his stay when Shami produced a well-directed bouncer by Moeen’s shoulder that he could not control and he picked out fine leg.

Stokes was stumped off Jadeja (56/2) and was later handed an official reprimand by the ICC for making “inappropriate comments” in reaction to India players’ celebrations at his dismissal.

India’s bowlers took advantage of the conditions, but their fielders were sloppy and dropped four catches in the course of the day. “It’s part and parcel of the game”, said Umesh Yadav. “It’s a case of just go out and try and score as many runs as possible”. The pitch, far different than the Mohali track of last year’s India – South Africa Test, is not really a rank turner.

Jonny Bairstow on 20 and Ben Stokes on five were at the crease after the visitors, who trail the five-match series 1-0, elected to bat first.