Mohammad Siraj bowled a hostile spell in the post-lunch session to neutralize Jonny Bairstow’s scintillating century. India England were bowled out for 284 to take a massive 132-run lead in the first innings on the third day of the rescheduled fifth Test here on Sunday.
At tea, India scored 37 runs in their second innings losing the wicket of Shubman Gill (4), taking the overall lead to 169. Cheteshwar Pujara (17 batting) and Hanuma Vihari (10 batting) were at the crease.
The morning session was of Bairstow (106 off 140 balls), who smashed the Indian attack after being sledged extensively by Virat Kohli.
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Kohli had something to say to Bairstow about his ‘play and miss’ game and the England batsman was not one to pick up the baggage.
After that brawl, Bairstow started chasing down his arms and played a lot of loft shots at mid-off and took some towards mid-wicket boundary.
However, Siraj (4/66 in 11.3 overs) came back strongly in the second session to clear the tail after Mohammed Shami (2/78) went with some luck at the end.
England’s innings lasted only 61.3 overs, but their run-rate of 4.61 certainly keeps them in the fight, chasing the current set-up under Stokes if they can keep the fourth-innings target within 325. Will be sure to do.
Once Bairstow struck Shardul Thakur (48 runs in 7 overs) through cover point to complete his 11th Test century off 119 balls and his third century in as many matches, he suddenly went into a shell.
Skipper Jasprit Bumrah (3/68 in 19 overs), who has dreamed up an individual performance as a dream, repeatedly bowled a possible spell, hitting the bat.
In the next 20 balls, Bairstow could only manage six runs after his devastation, in which he hit 14 fours and two sixes.
Bottled up by Bumrah, Bairstow had no option but to try a wide drive when a fuller delivery was made at the fourth stump line. The resulting thick edge was manipulated by a jumper Kohli, who made amends for his unnecessary association with the batsman.
Once Bairstow-Sam Billings (36)’s 92-run stand came to an end, Siraj bowled quicker and faster and added three wickets and 43 runs to get the remainder.
In the morning session, Thakur prepared to drop a regulation skier by dismissing Ben Stokes, but in-form Bairstow’s brutal but swift counter-attack created some concerns for the Indian team.
Stokes (25) and England’s ‘man of the moment’ Bairstow added 66 runs for the sixth wicket before Bumrah created a moment of inspiration on the field, taking a diving screamer off Thakur to dismiss his opposite number .
The outing could not have come at a more opportune time for India as an attacking zone proved counter-productive as seven boundaries came in between overs 33 and 36.
In fact, in a 10-minute spell, Stokes was dropped twice, first by Shardul, who couldn’t lie down on a skier, when the English captain sped down the track for mistaking it.
The second chance was off the delivery before being dismissed when he flatted Shardul straight to Bumrah at mid-off, but to everyone’s fear, he missed a regulation catch.
But Stokes, instead of being restrained, did a double act, only to give the Indian captain a more difficult chance.
Bairstow, who looked struggling during the final hour on the second day, played through the first 20 minutes of the morning and missed.
While Thakur got the prized skull off Stokes, Bairstow punished him with some harsh punishment along with a square drive with a ramp shot.
There was also a regal pick-up pull to take maximum runs off Siraj’s delivery.
There were two more sixes off Thakur’s ball as the morning session belonged to England, before India were making a comeback in the next one.
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