Kohli's century puts tourists in control at Trent Bridge

England face a huge challenge to save the third Test after a century from India captain Virat Kohli on day three at Trent Bridge.
Kohli’s exemplary 103, added to 72 from Cheteshwar Pujara and Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 52, allowed the tourists to declare on 352-7, setting England a notional 521 to win.
The home side were given nine overs to bat, Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings battling to the close on 23-0.
That was something of a positive end to a difficult day for England, who dropped both Kohli and Pujara and lost wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow to a fractured finger.
Bairstow injured the middle finger on his left hand when trying to take a delivery from James Anderson, with Jos Buttler donning the gloves for most of the day.
England say Bairstow is likely to bat in their massive task of making the largest fourth-innings score to win a Test or surviving for two days to save it.
However, the most likely outcome is that England will be bowled out at some point and India will reduce their series deficit to 2-1.
England find themselves in this hopeless position after being rolled over for 161 in their first innings on Sunday.
In losing all 10 wickets in a session, the hosts’ inadequate defensive technique against the moving ball was exposed.
On Monday, they were given a lesson in watchfulness, patience and judgement by an India team that accumulated without fuss on a good pitch, albeit against reduced movement.
It has been a fine improvement by the tourists, who were bowled out for 107 and 130 in the second Test at Lord’s to extend a run that had seen them pass 200 just once in nine innings in England.
Kohli, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who took 94 balls over his 29, were all determined, with expansion only coming from Pandya’s run-a-ball hitting as India moved towards a declaration.
Even if they are beaten, England’s shot-makers need to show similar application in the remainder of this match. (BBC Sport)