India vs England 1st Test 2021 Stat Highlights Day 3: Rishabh Pant Perishes in 90s for Fourth Time in Tests as England Tighten Grip Over the Contest

England tightened their grip over the first Test against India with a spectacular bowling performance on the third day. After piling up a mountain of 578 runs, the Three Lions put up a disciplined bowling performance and ran through India’s top-order. Thanks to a brilliant fight back from Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant, the home side finished Day 3 at 257-6, still trailing 321 runs behind England’s first innings score. Washington Sundar (33) and Ravichandran Ashwin (8) are the two batsmen at the crease, and they have to take their side at least over the 368-run mark to avoid the follow-on. With the Chennai track deteriorating with time, India’s task looks daunting, and the Three Lions must be backing themselves to register an emphatic win. Fans Praise Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara After Duo's Sensational Partnership.

Earlier in the day, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill came out to open the Indian innings after the visitors lost their remaining two wickets quickly. Jofra Archer made the new ball talk and dismissed both openers cheaply. The baton was passed onto off-spinner Dom Bess who scalped the wickets of Indian captain Virat Kohli (11) and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (1). With India losing four wickets inside 75 runs, England were well on command. However, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant led the fightback with a 119-run stand for the fifth wicket. Cheteshwar Pujara Dismissed in Bizarre Fashion on Day 3 of India vs England 1st Test.

While Pujara (73) was resilience as ever, Rishabh Pant (91) backed his natural game and slammed boundaries all over the park. Dom Bess, however, dismissed both batsmen later in the day, giving the command back to England. As Day 3 of the contest comes to an end, let’s look at the stat highlights.

# Cheteshwar Pujara brought up his 29th half-century in Test cricket.

# Rishabh Pant, who scored his fifth Test fifty, got out on 90s for the fourth time in his Test career.

# This was Pujara and Pant’s fourth consecutive 50-plus partnership in the longest format of the game.

# Pant became the second Indian wicket-keeper after MS Dhoni to smash five sixes in a Test innings.

# India fielded more than 190 overs for the first time in a home Test innings since 2009.

# Ravi Ashwin bowled 55.1 overs in the first innings, most by him in a Test innings.

# Team India bowled 20 no-balls in the first innings, joint-most by them in a home Test.

Notably, India haven’t lost a home Test match since February 2017 and England have come very close to break their streak. The onus will be on Sundar and Ashwin to form a formidable partnership and bring their side back in the hunt. On the other hand, England should go for the kill, trying to scalp the remaining wickets as soon as possible.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2021 05:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).