India vs England, second Test, Day 3 live: Kohli, Ashwin push the lead to 351 runs
All the live updates from Day 3 of the second Test at Chennai.
Live updates
Ind 153/6 after 47.4 overs (Virat Kohli 36, R Ashwin 34)
Lawrence into the attack and Root takes the most ridiculous review ever. There wasn’t daylight between bat and ball, there was an entire day. Kohli and Ashwin have put on exactly 50 runs in an unbroken stand.
In the session: 30 overs, 102 runs, 5 wickets. RR 3.40.
Close review for caught behind. Should have checked Ultraedge to make sure there was no edge. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/WXzCzDbZTf
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) February 15, 2021
I think Root just reviewed that so he could see the replay of Foakes' one-handed take on the big screen.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) February 15, 2021
The review of the year. Impossible to better!!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 15, 2021
Was that review in the grand final of worst reviews ever ? 😩😩😩
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 15, 2021
Ind 149/6 after 46 overs (Virat Kohli 35, R Ashwin 30)
Kohli and Ashwin have already put on 43 runs. Vital on a wicket like this and it stemmed the rot too. India seemed to be going down in a hurry.
Ind 143/6 after 45 overs (Virat Kohli 30, R Ashwin 29)
DROPPED! Really tough chance. Broad into the attack for the first time in the innings, bowls a leg-cutter, get the edge, Stokes (standing a little closer than normal) fails to hold on. Ashwin survives.
#IndvEng
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) February 15, 2021
Broad into the attack.
Gavaskar: "Oh, he's playing is he?"
That the England captain has to introduce Broad in the 45th over on a "bunsen burner" in the 3rd innings of the match, conveys a lot. Doesn't it? #INDvsENG @StarSportsIndia
— W V Raman #TheWinningSixer (@wvraman) February 15, 2021
Kohli's foot movement has been so good this innings. So assured of when to go on the back or front foot.
— Clive (@_vanillawallah) February 15, 2021
Ind 138/6 after 43 overs (Virat Kohli 30, R Ashwin 24)
Ashwin continuing to use the sweep shot a lot and he is using it well. The runs are flowing for India – they are now past England’s first innings total.
Ind 127/6 after 41 overs (Virat Kohli 29, R Ashwin 14)
Root is bowling now as Moeen gets a short break. He is firing it in from around the wicket.
When Kohli doesn't score in the first innings you better be on your A game as a bowling side in the second. Grim determination on top of skill and application. #INDvENG
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) February 15, 2021
Ind 120/6 after 39 overs (Virat Kohli 28, R Ashwin 8)
Kohli showing a lot of patience in the middle and playing as late as possible. The extravagant drive he played to get out in the first innings has been put away.
Patience is the key to batting & bowling on this surface, especially for the spinners ! Spinners should defend with the ball (stock delivery ball after ball & give zero boundary balls, this will lead to wickets) & attack with field plus have at least 4 men around the bat in not 5
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 15, 2021
Top class batting by @imVkohli today. Impeccable in defence, punished every loose delivery, kept England at bay
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 15, 2021
Ind 119/6 after 38 overs (Virat Kohli 27, R Ashwin 8)
England continue to dole out the boundary balls and that has been their problem.
Ind 106/6 after 36 overs (Virat Kohli 22)
WICKET! Axar Patel has been trapped LBW by Moeen. The decision was reviewed by India but it came down to umpire’s call. The predicted path showed it would have hit the top of middle. India lead by 301 runs. Axar lbw b Moeen Ali 7(18)
Ind 106/5 after 36 overs (Virat Kohli 22, Axar Patel 7)
Kohli and Axar are using the crease well. Going on the back foot whenever possible. The key on this wicket is to draw the batsmen forward.
Love to watch Ashwin vs Kohli on this fourth day pitch
— Amit (@nottheamit) February 15, 2021
Ben Foakes has been one of the best overseas keepers in Indian conditions. His right leg opens up when collecting from a left-arm spinner. Off-spinner bowls and his left leg goes slightly back @englandcricket #cricket #IndvEng (1/2)
— Kiran More (@JockMore) February 15, 2021
Ind 97/5 after 33 overs (Virat Kohli 18, Axar Patel 2)
Kohli and Axar trying to stitch together another partnership and play out time as well.
Ind 96/5 after 32 overs (Virat Kohli 18, Axar Patel 1)
Poor bowling by Leach. The first ball was short and wide, Kohli helped it along for three runs. Then a half-volley later in the over that the India skipper hit for four down the ground. Poor on a helpful wicket.
Great call by India to rest Bumrah in this Test. Perfect conditions to give him a rest. Pretty sure they knew that he would hardly bowl much on this pitch. He will be fresh to make a big difference in the next 2 Tests in his Home ground. #INDvENG
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) February 15, 2021
On turning tracks, batters need to wait and play as late as possible, to minimise chances of getting Bowled or lbw. Reason :The longer the ball travels in terms of distance, the more it deviates.. Reaching out to the ball creates problems.. #INDvENG #technique
— W V Raman #TheWinningSixer (@wvraman) February 15, 2021
Ind 86/5 after 30.3 overs (Virat Kohli 9)
WICKET! Bat, pad, caught. Rahane gone too. India are collapsing here. Moeen gets another wicket. Rahane c Ollie Pope b Moeen Ali 10(14)
Ind 82/4 after 29 overs (Virat Kohli 5, Ajinkya Rahane 10)
Back-to-back fours for Rahane. India don’t really care about the runs but they do want to spend as much time on this wicket as possible. Will be almost unplayable in the fourth innings.
Ind 74/4 after 28 overs (Virat Kohli 5, Ajinkya Rahane 2)
DROPPED! Kohli gets a life. Goes for the drive, can’t keep it down, a diving Burns gets his finger tips to it. Run-scoring is proving to be very difficult. Tough, tough chance.
Ind 69/4 after 27 overs (Virat Kohli 2, Ajinkya Rahane 0)
Moeen, an off-spinner, is bowling on a turning pitch to a right-hander but England have no leg-slip. Slightly odd to see that.
Really impressed with wicket keeping skills of Ben Foakes. To concede 0 byes in the first innings in challenging conditions is superb. Soft hands, clean collection, fast to dislodge stumps. Not seen many overseas keepers keep so well here for long time. #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/yT5HyNtV8l
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 15, 2021
Runout, stumping, stumping. Three dismissals for Ben Foakes in the first 30 minutes. India stuck so far on "moving day". #INDvENG
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) February 15, 2021
India's score this morning: 11/3#INDvENG
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) February 15, 2021
Criticism of pitch started yet? #INDvENG
— Unnikrishnan (@unni1974) February 15, 2021
Virat Kohli took 20 balls to get off the mark in the innings. Across his Test career only in one other innings did he face more balls before opening his account (29 balls v England at Ahmedabad in Nov 2012).#INDvENG
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) February 15, 2021
Ind 65/4 after 25.3 overs (Virat Kohli 2)
WICKET! Pant stumped too. He charged out of the wicket, ball turned sharply, Foakes collected it well and completed the stumping. Pant st Foakes b Jack Leach 8(11)
Ind 61/3 after 25 overs (Virat Kohli 2, Rishabh Pant 4)
After 19 balls, Kohli gets his first runs – just helped it along.
Ind 58/3 after 23 overs (Virat Kohli 0, Rishabh Pant 3)
Almost another wicket in the over – off a full toss! Pant going for the sweep, getting a top-edge. Survives. Moeen will feel better now that Rohit is back in the dressing room.
Barring that bad miss to stump Rohit last evening, Foakes’s glovework, like his batting, has been excellent. He had Rohit out of his crease by hardly a centimetre today. England have two early wickets to fuel some hope in an otherwise hopeless situation
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 15, 2021
Dream start for England. Pujara the anchor & Rohit the attacker both out. Game moving quickly. India need to be careful here. They are in a good position but must not get complacent. Must add at least 100 more. Pant has walked in ahead of Rahane. 56 for 3. Lead 251. #INDvENG
— Nitin Naik (@toi_nitinnayak) February 15, 2021
Ben Foakes is such a joy to watch. #INDvENG
— Unnikrishnan (@unni1974) February 15, 2021
Rohit Sharma gone too. India far ahead in the game but the wickets will help England. Good start to the day for the visitors. pic.twitter.com/15SFz8CMNG
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) February 15, 2021
Rishabh Pant has come out to bat ahead of Ajinkya Rahane.
Ind 55/3 after 21.1 overs (Virat Kohli 0)
WICKET! Early wickets for England. Rohit Sharma has now been stumped. Just outside the crease. Rohit st Foakes b Jack Leach 26(70)
Ind 55/2 after 21 overs (Rohit Sharma 26, Virat Kohli 0)
A maiden over for Moeen. Kohli plays it out carefully.
What a freak dismissal. Bat gets stuck in the pitch. Pujara walking back. pic.twitter.com/gljDy1qanY
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) February 15, 2021
Ind 55/2 after 19 overs (Rohit Sharma 26)
WICKET! Pujara gets the day going in the strangest way possible. Bat gets stuck in the crease and he is run out. Pujara run out (Ollie Pope/Foakes) 7(23)
We are all set for play on Day 3 to begin. India will continue to play positively and extend England’s misery.
How good was Ashwin in England’s first innings? The off-spinner was once again in his elements for India as he picked up back-to-back five-wicket hauls at his home ground in Chennai.
I have no problem at all with a pitch offering this much spin (hardly a surprise naturally). We prepare green pitches to suit our bowlers at home when deemed necessary so it’s fair game. We should be taking notes on how to excel from @ImRo45 @RishabhPant17 and @ashwinravi99
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) February 14, 2021
Day 2 review: India built a commanding lead of 249 after spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (5/43) helped skittle England for 134 on day two of the second Test on Sunday.
The hosts were 54 for one at stumps in Chennai with Rohit Sharma on 25 and Cheteshwar Pujara on seven. India are in sight of a victory that would level the four-match series after their crushing defeat in the opening Test.
Sharma, who hit 161 in India’s first innings, survived a stumping chance on 20 when England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes failed to gather the ball to his left off Moeen Ali.
Jack Leach trapped Shubman Gill leg before for 14 with his left-arm spin and the opener walked back after an unsuccessful TV review.
Ashwin had earlier claimed five wickets as England collapsed in response to India’s 329, conceding a lead of 195.
Talk about the pitch: When Dan Lawrence slumped to his knees after getting out on Sunday, it was the surest sign that England were groggy against India’s master spinners on a devilish pitch.
As England stare at defeat in the second Test in Chennai some pundits are saying it was one of the toughest wickets ever prepared.
Former Australia player and TV commentator Mark Waugh said the Chennai pitch was “unacceptable”, crumbling so early in the game.
Publicly, England put on a brave face over the collapse and the role of the wicket.
“Incredibly challenging,” said assistant coach Graham Thorpe of the pitch, who has experienced his share of batting in India.
“We know that pitches deteriorate here as a game goes on and this one has gone a little bit quicker.”
“They are obviously a very skilled spin attack in their own conditions,” he added. “It was a very good toss to win.”
When pressed further about the pitch, Thorpe said: “That is obviously for someone above me to look at.”