KOHLI LEADS TEAM FROM THE FRONT
Nottingham, Aug. 18: India captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane frustrated England with an excellent unbeaten century partnership as the tourists fought back on the first day of the third Test at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
India were 189 for three at tea, having been 82 for three after Cheteshwar Pujara holed out off Chris Woakes, the only England bowler to take any wickets on Saturday, from what became the last ball before lunch.
Kohli was 51 not out and Rahane 53 not out in a fourth-wicket stand so far worth 107 runs.
It was a heartening sight for India, who badly needed a significant partnership after twice being bowled out cheaply in an innings and 159-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s that left them 0-2 down in a fivematch series.
England captain Joe Root may have been left wondering about the wisdom of bowling first on a day where conditions had become progressively better for batting.
And there could be fresh questions surrounding England's decision to drop Sam Curran, whose leftarm swing bowling added variety to an otherwise all right-arm pace attack, and recall Ben Stokes just days after his acquittal on a charge of affray.
Woakes had tea figures of three for 45 from 15 overs whereas fellow pace-bowling allrounder Stokes had none for 47 in 11.
Much of the pre-match attention had been focused on the recall of Stokes, who on Tuesday was found not guilty by a court on charges that stemmed from a fight outside a Bristol nightclub in September last year.
Stokes had missed the second Test because it clashed with his trial.
Woakes, his replacement at Lord’s, made the most of that opportunity to score a maiden Test century and take key wickets as well.
Black Armbands for Vajpayee, Wadekar
Indian cricketers wore black armbands on Saturday as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and ex-captain Ajit Wadekar, who passed away earlier this week.