India vs England, 1st Test, Day 3, Highlights: Visitors strike twice before stumps

After 103 overs,India 309/2 ( Murali Vijay 123 , Virat Kohli (C) 19)

England have deployed close in fielders for Vijay now, one at silly mid on and a forward square leg. Kohli has a word with him and asks him to be patient, maybe? Now Bairstow is standing up to the stumps. Moeen comes back into the attack and gives 1 run off his 19th. The field for Kohli is completely different as compared to Vijay. Kohli is batting more freely now, after tickling Broad’s delivery to the fine leg fence, he cover drives Moeen for another four in the following over to bring the 300-run mark. Vijay has joined the party now, dances down the ground and hits it over the bowler’s head for a six. Woakes comes into the attack and Cook keeps a short cover for Kohli.

After 98 overs,India 291/2 ( Murali Vijay 117 , Virat Kohli (C) 7)

Kohli taking his own time to get in, no hurry whatsoever. Broad and Stokes are bowling in tandem. The Indian captain finally breaks away, drives towards cover-point to get his first boundary. A loud appeal from England, as Virat tries to pull Stokes, Dharmasena says no. Cook asks Bairstow and Stokes about the review, but decides to not take it.

After 93 overs,India 278/2 ( Murali Vijay 111 , Virat Kohli (C) 0)

Stokes finally breaks the partnership by removing Pujara for 124. The Rajkot crowd cheered him with their hearts out as he walked back to the pavillions. Indian captain Virat Kohli has come out to replace him at the centre. Commentators have already started talking about his past record against England.

Virat Kohli walks out.
Average vs England: 20.12 (home 31.33, overseas 13.40).
Time to change a few things.#INDvENG

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) November 11, 2016

OUT! England get the breakthrough finally. Pujara tries to cut Stokes, but the ball takes a thick edge off his bat and Alastair Cook holds on to it at third slip. Pujara walks back for 124. A brilliant innings nonetheless. 

Vijay and Pujara bring up the 200-run stand in the 90th over. Vijay tickles it towards fine leg, and they run three to get to the milestone. 

After 89 overs,India 263/1 ( Murali Vijay 104 , Cheteshwar Pujara 116)

Both Vijay and Pujara have begun the third session the same way as they ended things in the second session. They are rotating the strike brilliantly.

Vijay in 1st Test of a series since Jun 2014:
146
52
53
99
75
47
7
65
76
103* (batting)#IndvsEng

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 11, 2016

CENTURY! Vijay gets to his seventh century with a four. Bat takes the outside edge, and the ball beats the slip fielder to run away to the third-man fence.  

After 83 overs,India 242/1 ( Murali Vijay 94 , Cheteshwar Pujara 105)

A little lapse in concentration from Pujara. Woakes bowls one very full, Pujara looks to drive it powerfully but it beats his inside edge. Woakes has bowled really well today. He’s mixed his lengths pretty well.

After 82 overs,India 241/1 ( Murali Vijay 93 , Cheteshwar Pujara 105)

India going on the attack. Pujara cuts one through gully ery late for four and then Vijay charges down the track to hammer one over long off for a six. Two more singles make it 12 runs off the over. Vijay into the 90s now.

Rajkot celebrates as @cheteshwar1 hits his 9th Test Century @Paytm Test Cricket #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/5Bs3oZAOEF

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 11, 2016

.@cheteshwar1 - what a player! Nowhere to be seen in T20, nowhere in ODIs & had to fend off best efforts to leave him out of Tests too.

— Akarsh Sharma (@Akarsh_Official) November 11, 2016

Highest batting avg for IND at home (min 1000 runs):

69.78 C PUJARA *
69.56 V Hazare
55.93 M Azharuddin
55.59 D Vengsarkar#IndvsEng

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) November 11, 2016

After 81 overs,India 229/1 ( Murali Vijay 86 , Cheteshwar Pujara 100)

A decent over from Woakes, just one run off it. But Pujara finally got to the three-figure mark in that over.

After 80 overs,India 228/1 ( Murali Vijay 86 , Cheteshwar Pujara 99)

Pujara’s wait gets longer. Vijay plays out a maiden. He again had a heart in the mouth moment when a bottom edge trickled just wide of the off stump. England then wasted a review as Vijay digged one out off a faster one from Moeen, the keeper was confident of pad first but replays showed no pad at all, it was all bat.

Che Pujara needs to make a career-defining innings at SuperSport Park so he can call his autobiography 'Hasta La Pretoria Siempre'

— Charlie Reynolds (@cwjreynolds) November 11, 2016

After 79 overs,India 228/1 ( Murali Vijay 86 , Cheteshwar Pujara 99)

On 99, Pujara plays out a Moeen Ali over, tense moments not only for him but the Rajkot crowd. Vijay from other end, decides to leave a ball off Stokes, the ball hits the inside of his willow and almost goes onto his stumps. Woof, misses a close one. Takes a single to bring Pujara on strike on the fourth ball. Loud cheers at Rajkot. Plays out another two balls and walks back to the dressing room on 99 after tea.

After 77 overs,India 227/1 ( Murali Vijay 85 , Cheteshwar Pujara 99)

Successful review for the first time in India in a bilateral series. Pujara survives on 86 and his wife goes wild in celebrations. India have passed the tough phase and are scoring more freely now. Vijay and Pujara have completed their 150-run stand. And Pujara is batting on 99.

150-run partnership comes up between Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara after running three runs in the 75th over. 

First overturned decision of this Test, out of four and joy all around in Rajkot. #IndvsEng

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 11, 2016

After 70 overs,India 207/1 ( Murali Vijay 78 , Cheteshwar Pujara 86)

The lack of runs continues. Though, Cook introduces Moeen into the attack, replacing Broad. Vijay paddle sweeps Moeen to bring up a much needed boundary for India in the 68th over. That also brings up the 200-run mark for the hosts. 11 off the last 5 overs.