BEN’S BELIEF IS Recalled Stokes snaps up Kohli.. and Cook takes a corker
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BEN STOKES caught India skipper Virat Kohli three runs short of his century as he showed you can’t keep him out of the action for long.
The Nottingham public gave Stokes a warm welcome yesterday after he attempted to put a nightmare year behind him.
He was cheered onto the ground at Trent Bridge at the start of play and again when he came to bowl.
Stokes was recalled for the third Test after he was found not guilty of affray at a Bristol court on Tuesday, following a fracas outside a nightclub 11 months ago.
His trial saw him miss the second Test victory at Lord’s, before Sam Curran made way for him here.
“He was the same as he always is,” team-mate Chris Woakes said.
“He’s desperate to do well and to perform for England. It was unfortunate for Sam, but Ben is a big-game player and has worked extremely hard since he’s come back into the group.
“Slip fielding to the spinner is an important position and he made that catch off Virat look easy but it went quickly to him.
“Virat is a world-class player so to get him out at any point of the game is a big wicket for us.”
A spectacular slip catch from Alastair Cook, to dismiss Ajinka Rahane, helped drag England back into the match, at a time when India were taking control.
India batting maestro Kohli batted beautifully for his 97, while deputy 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 and the remaining two Tests to win a 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 onehanded 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 Stokes took a diving catch off his 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. That breakthrough was just what England needed, at a time when things looked a little too comfortable for the tourists.
But while Kohli was there, Indian hopes were still 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 and Kohli did not quite get to the pitch of a ball that spun and his loose drive was edged to Stokes at slip.
Kohli was livid with himself but still had done enough to give India a decent total to bowl at. India’s opening partnership of 60 by Shikar Dhawan and KL Rahul frustrated England early on and they were not separated until 100 minutes of play had passed.
It was the highest opening stand in a Test against England in England for two years. Just when England wondered where their first wicket was coming from, Woakes struck with a three-wicket burst.
India slumped from 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, jabbing at a ball that left him.
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 started walking back to the pavilion even before umpire Marais Erasmus raised his finger. But batting partner Cheteshwar Pujara persuaded him to 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 hooked 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.
And with the last ball before stumps, Anderson took his first wicket of the day, Hardik Pandya, to leave India six down.
Woakes added: “It was an even day. When you win the toss there is pressure to skittle them out but India combatted us well.”