India need 103 to win Mohali Test against England

Virat Kohli’s side won by eight wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-Test series. England skipper Alastair Cook admitted his side squandered the advantage of winning the toss after scoring a below-par 283 in the first knock.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami got both Endland wickets which fell today.

Cook was criticised for his “they’re no supermen” comments after the Visag Test (some even suggested he was “taunting” India), but he came very close to repeating those remarks here. “I was surprised to hear the cheer when they won the toss”, he said. If you see throughout these three games, he’s someone who has really rushed in. If you talk about the pace bowlers, they rushed in and put in the effort and they got the results.

“Any team will have a plus point if its lower middle order is contributing”. That pushes the opposition back. He took their spinners on. “He’s become more aware of what he wants to do and what he has to do to be a good Test bowler and he’s making those important breakthroughs”. Stuart Broad is far from certain of being fit for the fourth Test while Zafar Ansari’s back injury may force him out of the tour too.

Karun Nair (3/10): The right-handed batsman announced arrival on global stage with a fine cover drive for four, but was run out immediately after that. “I am sure he is looking forward to his next Test”, added the Indian captain.

Buttler put on 29 runs for the sixth wicket with Root.

“There’s nothing worse than when you know you can play better and you’re not quite doing it”.

On Saturday, when Kohli lost the toss and was expectedly given the task of playing last on the same turf in which a Test ended inside three days a year ago, he quietly got down to his job at hand than showing any negative expressions on his face. “I am also trying to score as many runs as possible to help the team”, he said. He gives balance to the team. Obviously there are different ways of going about it, but you’ve got to try and look to be proactive.

Bayliss saw enough to conclude too that Hameed has shown many attributes to which England team-mates and hopefuls should aspire.

Ajinkya Rahane (4/10): The vice-captain almost redeemed himself with that splendid one-handed catch to get rid of Joe Root on Day Four. It didn’t happen. They played well.

Jadeja, who scored a career-best 90 and picked up four wickets, was adjudged man of the match.

“Obviously very happy with my performance”.

Ravindra Jadeja (2-62) ended Root’s resistance, caught at slip by Ajinkya Rahane, the fielder pulling off a superb one-handed catch to his left. In hindsight we would have played four but I’m happy with my decision as I thought it was right at the time’.

England once again showed their fighting spirit as a unit and also probably gave a fair indication as to why despite losing in Visakhapatnam by a margin of 246 runs, India cannot take them lightly. “Even in Kolkata (against New Zealand), we showed that we don’t want dry, square turners, we have enough skill to play good cricket and win against any team in the world”.

The Roses alliance appeared to represent England’s last realistic chance of a great escape, with Root completing a determined and flawless 147-ball half-century when he clipped Jadeja past midwicket for just his third boundary. I took the risk against the legspinner. I knew I could make up the strike rate after facing 60-70 balls.