Images from Day 1 of the third Test between India and England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday.
Rohit Sharma got back among the runs with a superb century to put India in control on Day 1 of the third Test against England in Rajkot on Thursday.
Mark Wood brought England some relief with the wicket of Rohit, who mistimed the pull shot to midwicket, to be dismissed for 131, having hit 14 fours and three sixes in his 196-ball knock.
India were well-placed on 253/4 in 69 overs, with Jadeja on 90 and debutant Sarfaraz Khan on 10.
He brought India back on track, putting on 204 runs for the fourth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, who looks on course for his second Test century at his home ground.
Rohit and Jadeja dropped anchor on a benign track to lead a robust recovery for India, who lost three early wickets in the morning session.
Rohit got to his 11th Test century from 157 balls to bounce back after struggling for runs in the first two Tests, while Jadeja stroked a solid 68 -- his 21st half-century.
India were left reeling at 33/3 in the first hour's play having lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (10), Shubman Gill (0) and Rajat Patidar (5), but Rohit and Jadeja rebuilt the innings.
Rohit and Jadeja opted to grind it out in the morning session and impose themselves in the afternoon without taking any undue risks to put on 152 runs for the fourth wicket so far.
Rohit was one hit away from his 11th ton in the format and certainly a timely one given the circumstances. He has faced 154 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.
On the other hand, Jadeja went about his business with consummate ease to reach a resolute 68 not out from 126 balls with six boundaries and one six.
The dashing all-rounder found the gaps on a packed leg-side field and his immaculate running between the wickets was the stand-out aspect of his knock.
Jadeja had fielders standing close to his bat and even on the leg side, but the local favourite displayed excellent use of his wrists to work the ball around for singles and doubles.
As the pitch flattened out under the sun to provide nothing in terms of assistance for the English bowlers, the visitors were forced to work with their field settings and try different angles with their bowling. But nothing seems to have worked out.
For more than one spell, express pacer Mark Wood, who rocked India twice early, barraged Rohit with a deep fine leg and deep square leg in place.
Rohit did not find any trouble dealing with the challenge and did not mind slowing down a little in the second session to ensure he returns for the final session to keep consolidating for India.
Earlier, captain Rohit Sharma's resolute unbeaten fifty was India's balancer against the early blows that England inflicted through pacer Mark Wood as they reached 93/3 at lunch
Wood (2/26) and left-arm spinner Tom Hartley (1/30) gave England an early upper hand with excellent spells.
But Rohit stood tall in the company of Ravindra Jadeja to steady the ship for India, who lost three quick wickets in the first hour after electing to bat.
India were jolted early by Wood's express pace and movement off the surface which saw the home team's best batter in the series Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) walking back without contributing much.
Shubman Gill might have come to this match on the back of a match-winning hundred at Visakhapatnam but Wood dismissed him for a nine-ball duck
Gill, who was beaten around the off-stump with a nip-backer, pushed a delivery that moved away with hard hands and Ben Foakes completed the easiest of the catches behind the stumps.
India's woes worsened when No. 4 Rajat Patidar, who too had a few nervous moments against the England pacers, was outdone by a delivery that seemed to have stopped a bit after hitting the deck off spinner Hartley.
Patidar could not control his stroke as he ended up lobbing the ball to Ben Duckett at short cover, to leaving India reeling on 33/3 inside the first 10 overs.
However, Rohit and Jadeja used all their experience to push England back with a determined unbeaten 56-run stand for the fourth wicket.
But, Rohit, who needed some runs after below-par outings in the previous matches, had a couple of moments of fortune as well.
Wood pinged on his helmet grill with a snorter, and then he survived a leg-before decision off James Anderson as DRS spotted a thin inside edge.
A few overs later, Joe Root spilled a tough chance at first slip off Hatley when Rohit was on 27.
But at the other end, Jadeja looked composed during his 42-ball innings and both will have more work to do in the second session.
