Rohit, Jadeja Steer India to 185-3 at Tea in Third Test

AFP/APP

Rajkot: Skipper Rohit Sharma stood unbeaten on 97 to help steer India to 185-3 at tea alongside Ravindra Jadeja after a top-order stutter against England in the third Test on Thursday.

The pair lifted India from 33-3 in Rajkot and put on 152 runs for the hosts’ first century partnership in the five-match series, which is level at 1-1.

The left-handed Jadeja (68 not out) and Rohit combined the right dose of caution and aggression to thwart the England attack in a wicketless second session.

After India won the toss, England pace bowler Mark Wood struck two early blows to put the home side on the back foot in the first hour of play.

Rohit kept calm to guide India to 93-3 at lunch and kept up the charge in the second session, prompting England skipper Ben Stokes to rotate his bowlers in his landmark 100th Test.

Jadeja, promoted up the order to number five ahead of debutant Sarfaraz Khan, raised his fifty on a hot afternoon.

Wood came in as the only change for England and had the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at slip by Joe Root for 10 in the fourth over.

In the next over, Wood induced another nick from Shubman Gill, who was snapped up by wicketkeeper Ben Foakes without scoring.

Spin was introduced after eight overs, and Tom Hartley struck with his fifth ball when Rajat Patidar chipped to Ben Duckett at cover for five from a ball that gripped and turned.

Rohit then attacked to drag his team back into the session, but survived a chance on 27 when Root dropped a catch in the slips.

In the next over, he was given out LBW to James Anderson, who needs five more dismissals to reach 700 Test wickets, but was successfully reviewed with replays showing a faint edge.