Bhanumathi Ramakrishna

INDvsENG 3rd Test Day 1 : Kohli, Rahane Miss Centuries ; India Make 307/6

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Trent Bridge, Nottingham : 

Indian batsmen have made merry today at the first day of the third test match at Trent Bridge. England is already 2-0 up in the five match test series, Virat Kohli led Indian team is playing catch up.

Earlier, in the match England won the toss and elected to field first. England made one change. Captain Joe Root dropped the inform Sam Curran for Ben Stokes. The Indian team had 3 changes in the side. Murli Vijay was dropped for Shikhar Dhawan.In the 3 test matches India has now had 3 different opening partnerships. Jasprit Bumrah was fit for selection, the wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav had to sit out and left hand power hitter and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant made his Test debut today for out of form Dinesh Karthik.

First Session : 

The third opening partnership in three test matches, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul came into bat for India. The duo looked in fine touch as the pitch didn’t have any demons and to add to it England’s leading wicket taker James Anderson struggled to find his length. India put out their biggest opening stand in the series of 60 and the duo batted out for nearly 20 overs. Dhawan made 35 before Chris Woakes took his wicket.

Immediately, his opening partner KL Rahul was caught plumb in front of the stumps by Woakes. He referred but it was unsuccessful. He made 23.

Cheteshwar Pujara couldn’t hold India’s fortress before lunch as Woakes took his third wicket. He made 14 before Adil Rashid held onto his catch.

The first session hung in balance as India were 82/3.

SECOND SESSION : 

The second session completely belonged to India. The duo of India’s Captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane put up a solid 107 run stand. Virat brought up his fifty in only 74 deliveries while Rahane completed his 13th Test half century. Meanwhile, Rahane also notched up his 3000 Test runs (81 innings).

THIRD SESSION : 

Kohli and Rahane looked in great touch as England bowlers couldn’t make any inroads in the batting line up. Stuart Board bowled his heart out. Virat struggled a bit but it was Ajinkya Rahane who found the edge of his bat and Alastair Cook took a stunner of a catch. Rahane made 81. Rahane- Kohli added 159 runs for the fourth wicket.

Kohli looked to bring his second century of the series as he dominantly played Adil Rashid but it was Rashid who had the last laugh as Kohli missed his century by a mere 3 runs.

The debutant Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya brought up 300 for India. However, Pandya (18) fell to Anderson and stumps were called for the day. Meanwhile, claiming the wicket James Anderson completed 100 Test wickets against India. India are 307/6 at the end of day’s play.