Lunch India 247 for 2 (Vijay 124*, Kohli 44*) trail England 400 by 153 runs
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Trott: Vijay scores all around the ground with ease
M Vijay made his second century of the series, and eighth overall, as India overcame the shock of losing Cheteshwar Pujara off the second ball of the third day. Their captain Virat Kohli had bedded in as well, a weekend crowd at Wankhede stadium egging him on. As a result the deficit had been cut down to 153 by lunch.
There were 101 runs in 31 overs in a highly entertaining session of cricket. It began with Alastair Cook taking a punt. He had a man with 467 wickets at the ready but chose the one playing his first Test since his debut in July to bowl the first over. Jake Ball repaid that trust quite emphatically when he bowled Pujara neck and crop. The batsman had shouldered arms, having misread the line of a delivery that pitched on fifth stump and seamed in.
At this point, India had a choice to make. It was very early in the day. They were 254 runs behind on a turning pitch. Their usual No. 5 Ajinkya Rahane, who averages 47, was injured. So their middle order comprised of Karun Nair, playing his second Test, and Parthiv Patel, recalled this series from an eight-year cryogenic freeze. But this team is probably allergic to taking steps back.
Kohli guided Ball to the third man boundary twice in the fourth over after the breakthrough and then thumped a fist onto the face of his bat when Vijay hoisted Moeen Ali for a straight six. India went from 150 to 200 in only 66 balls – after the wicket had fallen.
India’s aggression threw England’s plans into disarray. At one point, the quicks had a short leg and two men on the hook, keeping all of them in play with uncomfortable bouncers. There was a noticeable attempt from the spinners to bowl slower through the air, which has been the surest way to get the most turn on this Mumbai surface. But with Vijay and Kohli coming after them, none of the bowlers could settle into a rhythm.
Vijay got to his hundred off the 231st ball he faced, benefiting from an outside edge as Moeen tried bowling around the stumps and got one to hold its line. He celebrated pointing to his left shoulder, while looking at someone in the dressing room. Soon after, he took a perfectly good delivery from James Anderson and lofted it back over his head for four.
It wasn’t until the introduction of Adil Rashid, in the 21st over of the morning, that Vijay was threatened, to such an extent that he could have been lbw. Umpire Erasmus had upheld the appeal but the batsman knew he had inside edged the ball and used DRS to save himself.
Kohli completed 1000 runs in Tests in 2016, getting to the mark with a pull shot off Ben Stokes in the 69th over. He was the first Indian to do so since Rahul Dravid in 2011.
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo