Team India batters extended their lead to put added pressure on England in the morning session of day three of the third Test at Trent Bridge.
Meanwhile, the two overnight batsmen Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara looked solid throughout the morning session. The English bowlers failed to attract any seam movement as the Indian batters dominated the proceedings.
While Kohli was the aggressor, Pujara took his time to unsettle the England bowlers. He pounced on the loose deliveries to make the most out of it. In the Trent Bridge pitch where Hardik Pandya looked pivotal, the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad looked venomless.
Apart from a few good deliveries, there were no real chances provided the batsmen of India. Kohli backed his first innings knock with another brilliant half-century. He is making battle with Anderson look one-sided with his excellent display of batting.
On the other hand, Pujara showed his temperament and class, for what he is known for. He stood there with Kohli leaving tons of balls to frustrate the England bowlers. The hosts’ skipper tried all his options to avail a breakthrough, but the visitors looked determined not to throw it way.
Previously, after getting all-out for 329, India came back to present a magical display of fast bowling to dominate England for the first time in the series. Root & Co started well with Keaton Jennings and Alastair Cook adding 54 runs for the first wicket. But since then, it was all about the young India all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
He ran through the England batting returning with a five-wicket spell, his first in the Test career. Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets each while Mohammed Shami picked one.
India will now aim to post a massive target and rule out any chance for England to come back in this game.