Kohli ( 97), Rahane ( 81) lead India fightback in 3rd Test in England
Nottingham ( United Kingdom), 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/ 3 at tea, having been 82/ 3 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 2- 0 down in a five- match series. Woakes had tea figures of 3/ 45 from 15 overs whereas all- rounder Ben Stokes had 0/ 47 in 11.
India made an encouraging start after losing the toss at a Trent Bridge ground renowned for aiding swing bowlers.
India were well- placed at 60/ 0 when Woakes took two wickets for one run in nine balls to removed both openers, with Shikhar Dhawan ( 35) caught at second slip before K. L. Rahul ( 23) was lbw.
And on the stroke of lunch, Woakes was gifted another wicket when Pujara hooked him to Adil Rashid at long leg.
But Kohli, who on Friday had urged his players “to stand up and say “Im going to go out there and make a difference”, was as good as his word.
Showing no sign of the back trouble that hampered him at Lord’s after he scored 200 runs — including a maiden Test century in England — in the series opener at Edgbaston, he was rarely troubled, with India's fourth- wicket duo taking 29 runs off five overs from leg- spinner Rashid.
Kohli completed a 76- ball fifty, with Rahane following him to the landmark when he cut Woakes for a seventh boundary in 76 balls.
BLACK ARMBAND 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.