Rajkot test : India 319/4 on third day against England

It was England’s turn to huff and puff in temperatures touching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degree Fahrenheit), and on a surface that had little to offer to the bowlers.

Moeen was dismissed for 117 after shouldering arms to an inswinging delivery from Shami, which ended a brisk 62-run stand with Stokes for the fifth wicket.

Pujara weathered some rough attention from the England pacers in the early part of his innings, but carried on to add 209 runs with Vijay, for the second wicket.

England’s plan was to restrict India from scoring freely after they resumed on 63-0, replying to the touring side’s 537.

Pujara was confidence-personified from the first ball he faced, off-driving Broad for a sweetly timed four.

Having closed day one on 99 not out, Moeen Ali returned on Thursday to bring up his first overseas century.

Geoff Pullar, Ken Barrington and Ted Dexter all scored hundreds in the second innings of a test against India at Kanpur in December 1961.

So when Pujara took a quick single to reach his ninth Test hundred, not only was Arvind happy, the crowd in Rajkot was at its feet. 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.

It was the first time since 2012-13 that a visiting team had crossed the 500 barrier on Indian soil.

That was the cue for Stokes and Jonny Bairstow to up the pace with a sixth-wicket partnership worth 99. Both took India to Lunch at 162/1.

The break did revitalise the hosts as Ravindra Jadeja removed Chris Woakes for four and Adil Rashid for five early on in the session. If we continue to bat well, and once we reach the same total or get a lead of 60 or 70 runs, it will help us in the second innings. I think the slower balls spun a bit more than the rest, but the build up to that ball has to be on the money as well. I know there wasn’t much spin but we didn’t just prod around.

# Pujara and Vijay have registered their second partnership of 200 or more in Tests for the second wicket.

Amit Mishra (1-98) then brought the innings to a close trapping Ansari lbw just before tea.

The Rajkot-born batsman clipped Broad off his pads and then drove Moeen Ali off the firing line by striking him for two fours a square cut followed by a twinkle-toed dance down the wicket for an on-drive.

“We need to bowl in the good areas and wait for the pitch of do the rest”. However, his returns towards the end of the series tapered off.