CHENNAI: India suffered a batting collapse and slumped to 156-6 but even so their overall lead swelled to 351 at lunch on day three of the second Test against England on Monday.
Playing his first match of the series, Ben Foakes impressed with his glovework on his birthday and was involved in the first three dismissals of the morning session as English spinners dominated the segment at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.
England tasted success in the first over when Cheteshwar Pujara was run out for seven in a bizarre manner.
Having stepped out to defend a ball, the batsman was trying to make his ground when he jammed his bat on the crease and lost his grip. Foakes whipped off the bail before Pujara could get his foot back in.
The wicketkeeper then pulled off a sharp stumping to dismiss Rohit Sharma for 26 off Jack Leach. India promoted the dangerous Rishabh Pant ahead of Ajinkya Rahane to try and disrupt the spinners but that made no difference.
Leach and Foakes combined for a second stumping to dismiss Pant for eight and Ollie Pope took a diving catch to send back Rahane for 10.
Home captain Virat Kohli, however, provided a template on how to bat on a spinner-friendly track, curbing his natural free-flowing game to be 38 not out.
Ravichandran Ashwin was batting after a breezy 34 with India chasing a series-levelling victory.
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