Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes frustrated India with an unbroken century stand as England at last showed some fight with the bat in the third Test at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. India were on course for a colossal win when England slumped to 62 for four before lunch on the fourth day.
But England, 2-0 up in this five-match series, had recovered to 173 for four at tea, with Buttler 67 not out and recalled all-rounder Stokes 42 not out. That still left England needing a further 348 runs to reach a huge target of 521. The most any side has made to win in the fourth innings of a Test is the West Indies' 418 for seven against Australia at St John's Antigua, in 2003.
But Buttler and Stokes's stand, so far worth 111 runs, had at least helped England regain some self-respect by ensuring they got through a session without losing a wicket. The pair had their moments of good fortune along the way.
Buttler was dropped on one by debutant wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and on 35 he edged fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah only for the ball to bounce in front of Cheteshwar Pujara, stood too deep at first slip. Left-handed batsman Stokes - recalled by England just days after his acquittal on an affray charge following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September last year - had made 38 when he was rapped on the pad by Ravichandran Ashwin.
India reviewed the not out decision for lbw, with off-spinner Ashwin's delivery seemingly having straightened enough to hit the stumps. Stokes, however, survived on umpire's call. But both batsmen defended solidly and Buttler completed his fifty in style when he cover-drove Bumrah for a tenth four in 93 balls faced.
England were skittled out for just 161 in their first innings, with unheralded medium-pacer Hardik Pandya taking five for 28, and it looked like more of the same when they collapsed to 62 for four on Monday. It was the 31st occasion in their past 62 Test innings since 2016 that England had lost their fourth wicket having scored 100 or fewer runs.
England had been shown the way by India captain Virat Kohli, who was far from his fluent best but still made 103 on Monday and Pujara who demonstrated a patient application in grinding out 72 off 208 balls in more than four hours at the crease.
England, however, lost their first wicket just five balls into Tuesday's play when fast bowler Sharma, testing the left-handed openers from round the wicket, got one to straighten away from the flat-footed Keaton Jennings (13), who was caught behind.
England's 27 for one soon became 32 for two when Sharma had Alastair Cook (17) edging one that straightened late to second-slip KL Rahul. England then lost their next two wickets on 64, captain Joe Root (13) and Ollie Pope (16) both caught in the cordon. Root tried to force a Bumrah delivery he could have left and Rahul, still at second slip, held the sharp chance - his fifth catch of the match.
As if to emphasise just how superior India's slip-fielding had been to England's this Test, Kohli then leapt high to his left at third slip to hold a superb catch that dismissed Pope, playing in just his second Test. Meanwhile a finger injury suffered by Jonny Bairstow while keeping wicket on Monday meant he did not come into bat in his usual number five position. But as the sun broke through the clouds, Stokes and Buttler kept India in the field.
Scoreboard
India 1st Innings 329 (V Kohli 97, A Rahane 81; J Anderson 3-64, S Broad 3-72, C Woakes 3-75)
England 1st Innings 161 (H Pandya 5-28)
India 2nd Innings 352-7 dec (V Kohli 103, C Pujara 72, H Pandya 52 no; A Rashid 3-101)
England 2nd Innings (overnight 23-0, target 521)
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A. Cook c Rahul b Sharma 17
K. Jennings c Pant b Sharma 13
J. Root c Rahul b Bumrah 13
O. Pope c Kohli b Shami 16
B. Stokes not out 42
J. Buttler not out 67
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Extras: (lb2, nb3) 5
Total: (4 wkts, 62 overs, 280 mins) 173
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To bat: J Bairstow, C Woakes, A Rashid, S Broad, J Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Jennings), 2-32 (Cook), 3-62 (Root), 4-62 (Pope) Bowling: Bumrah 18-5-52-1 (1nb); Sharma 14-3-43-2 (1nb); Ashwin 13-5-31-0; Shami 11-3-38-1; Pandya 6-3-7-0 (1nb)
India: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
Match position: England need a further 348 runs to win with six wickets standing.
Toss: England
Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Marais Erasmus (RSA)
TV umpire: Aleem Dar (PAK)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
(Incomplete).
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