COOK GIVES

Catch of the day from takes back control at

A SPECTACULAR slip catch from■ AbylaSsTtaAiRr Cook helped drag England b ac k inRtTo■ERby the third Test just when India were taking control.

India batting maestro Virat Kohli fell three runs short of another century, while his deputy Ajinkya Rahane made 81, but England fought back to restrict India to 307-6 at stumps.

Skipper Kohli went into bat knowing his team have to win this match to save a five-match series they trail 2-0.

He set about that task with a real hunger and combined in a dominant fourth-wicket partnership of 159 with Rahane, after England had earlier won the toss. England were looking good at lunch having reduced India to 82-3 but Kohli and Rahane batted throughout the afternoon session after then beyond tea.

It took a freakishly good one-handed grab from Cook, diving to his left, to dismiss Rahane off Stuart Broad’s bowling. That made it 241-4 and gave England a sniff once again.

It was a rare loose stroke from Rahane as he chased a Broad delivery leaving him wide outside off stump.

The look on Broad’s face was of disbelief – similar to when Ben Stokes took a diving catch off his own bowling against Australia in 2015.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow was also wide-eyed with admiration for the catch by Cook, who might argue Bairstow should have gone for the chance.

It was Cook’s 165th Test catch, extending his England record.

That breakthrough was just what England needed, at a time when things looked a little too comfortable for the tourists.

While Kohli was there Indian hopes were high as he chased his 23rd Test century.

Enter leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who had conceded 29 runs off his opening five-over spell. Rashid flighted one ball in his seventh over, Kohli did not quite get to the pitch of a ball that spun and his loose drive was edged to Stokes at slip. Kohli, who scored 149 in the first innings at Edgbaston, was livid with himself but still had done enough to give India a decent total to bowl at.

The situation could have been better for England had third slip Keaton Jennings clung onto a gloved deflection from Hardik Pandya off Broad when he was on 14.

The drop was not too costly though as James Anderson had Pandya caught by Buttler at second slip on the last ball of the day for 18.

That left debutant Rishabh Pant 22 not out. Earlier, India’s opening partnership of 60 by Shikar Dhawan and KL Rahul frustrated England and they were not separated for 100 minutes of play.

It was the highest opening stand in a Test against England, in England, for two years.

It allowed Kohli and Rahane the chance to settle after lunch when the sun came out and batting became easier.

But just when England wondered where their first wicket was coming from, Chris Woakes struck with a three-wicket burst.

India slumped from the comfort of 60-0 to 82-3, as Woakes succeeded from the Radcliffe Road End where James Anderson had toiled without a breakthrough.

First, Dhawan edged Woakes to Jos Buttler at second slip for 35.

Woakes, who traditionally takes the ball away from the right-hander, got one to jab back into Rahul and trapped him lbw for 23. Rahul had started walking back to the pavilion even before umpire Marais Erasmus raised his finger. But batting partner Cheteshwar Pujara persuaded him to hang around and ask for a review, which was subsequently proven in the umpire’s favour. Pujara followed Rahul on what became the last ball before lunch when he committed the ultimate sin by hooking a Woakes short ball to Rashid at deep fine leg for 14.

It was an uncharacteristic lapse from the normally cool-headed Pujara and he was wise not to turn round to gauge the look on his captain’s face.