Dom Bess’s 4-wicket haul puts England on top despite Pant and Pujara’s counter-attack

On a deteriorating Chennai track, the English bowlers got more purchase than the hosts and made the most of the conditions to gain an upper hand on Day 3. Despite a counterpunch by familiar rescuers from Australia in Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant, a mountain of a first innings score in front of them means England will feel confident enough to push for a win heading into the final two days of the first Test.

With England batting for more than two days in the first innings, the first such instance in India in a decade, India needed to replicate the efforts of the touring party to escape a nervy last couple of days. Jofra Archer with a peach of a delivery found something from the Chennai track that felt like a Plain Dosa without any accompaniments. Shubman Gill looked in supreme touch, a classy on-drive off James Anderson reaffirming his ability. However, a similar shot off Archer found a diving James Anderson to cut short what was a promising innings.

For a 3-Test match old in the sub-continent, Dom Bess looked every bit the part. While a returning Virat Kohli had gotten his eye in, a bit of drift and the temptation of open space for a quick single meant Dom Bess’s first wicket on the tour happened to be that of the Indian skipper. When Ajinkya Rahane fell; this time Joe Root making sure an uppish cover drive has no way past his diving body, and an outstretched left arm, India were reduced to 73/4.

And then came the rearguard act. Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant were two of India’s heroes from Gabba, and yet again replicated the same model which brought them success, although this time in conditions that were chalk to Australia’s cheese. Pant held no punches back, while Pujara having drawn inspiration from his attacking half of the partnership began upping his own strike rate. The partnership raced to a 100 within no time, and the comeback which has become a trademark was well and truly on.

It took a rank long-hop from Bess, an aggressive backfoot pull from Pujara, the neck of Ollie Pope at short-leg, and a gleeful Rory Burns at mid-wicket to separate the dominant pair. Pant, however, showed no signs of easing his strike rate. With Washington Sundar looking comfortable in his first Test innings on his home ground, the familiar sight of Pant dancing down the track showed no signs of easing up.

Nervous can hardly be an adjective used for Rishabh Pant, but the 90s are proving to be his undoing. Yet another attempted lofted shot off an off-spinner, yet another miscue, and yet another deserved century left unrealized. Dom Bess had accounted for India’s numbers 3,4,5 and 6.

Washington Sundar looked assured on familiar turf, and with the fellow local offie managed to see out the rest of the day. Come Day 4, India’s first target will be to peck away at the 122 more runs needed to avoid a follow-on.