India’s top-order had one of their most fruitful days on the road in the last three years as they took the game back to England on Day 3 at The Oval to allow their team to breathe more comfortably in the game and send some jitters down the opposition camp.
Rohit Sharma was the star of the show as he produced a magnificent century, his maiden away Test ton in a career that is now starting to flourish in all conditions through sheer consistency and assurity of his place.
The ever-elegant right-hand batsman scored 127 runs off 256 deliveries, showing an exemplary defensive technique and the resolve and patience to play through tough passages.
Rohit had his moments of fortune, especially last evening and earlier in the morning on Saturday, but he was in the right headspace to make those count and lead India’s fightback.
Rohit reached past 50 in nearly 150 deliveries, but once in firm control of things, he accelerated and crossed the 100-run mark with a maximum off Moeen Ali on the 204th ball of his memorable knock.
At the other end, fellow opening batsman KL Rahul once again batted with the clarity and confidence that has taken many by surprise from him this series, his comeback tour in Test whites. Rahul stayed with Rohit for the majority of the first session. He scored 46 off 101 balls before getting dismissed caught behind by James Anderson.
Once Rahul departed with India 83/1 and still 16 runs behind the deficit, it was felt that England have now got the opening they required to put India’s underfiring middle-order in pressure.
The focus was on No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara to stitch a partnership with Rohit and play another innings that silences his critics.
And Pujara did exactly that, batting gainly for his second half-century (61) of the tour. If one counts the second innings 45 at Lord’s for its invaluable nature, it was Pujara’s third major score for the series, including also his fantastic 91 in the last Test at Headingley.
He and Rohit took India into the lead and added 153 runs for the second wicket. However, just when it seemed that India are running away with the game, as shoulders started to drop in the England camp, the visitors suffered twin blows in the very first over with the second new ball.
In-form pacer Ollie Robinson brought England back in the contest, getting Rohit out first with a slower ball that stuck onto the track a bit but just enough to get Rohit top-edging his attempted pull to the deep fine-leg fielder. Five balls later, Robinson got Pujara hurried on with an incomer that took the batter’s inside edge and lobbed up off his pads to be taken easily in the slips.
Despite having work hard to gain a position of strength at 236/1, a lead of 137 runs, India suddenly found themselves 237/3 with the second new ball in play and the overhead conditions getting gloomier by every minute.
At this point, India skipper Virat Kohli, as he has done all series without a big score next to his name, batted with good composure for his 22 not out and alongside India’s new No.5 Ravindra Jadeja (9*) took his team safely through to stumps, with the bad light bringing about an early close of play.
Still, only 171 runs past the deficit. India will hope that their captain and the team’s premier all-rounder can continue their good work on Sunday, with the rest of the batting unit chipping in to convert the lead into a significant target on the board.
Brief scores
India 191 in 61.3 overs & 270/3 in 92 overs (Rohit 127, Cheteshwar Pujara 61; Ollie Robinson 2/67, James Anderson 1/49) lead England 290 in 84 overs (Ollie Pope 81, Chris Woakes 50; Umesh Yadav 3/76, Jasprit Bumrah 2/67) by 171 runs
