The lone batsman to be dismissed was left-handed opener Gambhir, who fell in the second over to Stuart Broad.
Cheteshwar Pujara was one run short of a coveted century in his home city, and alongside Murali Vijay, helped India give a strong reply to England’s 537 on day three of the opening Test here today.
The 28—year—old Pujara was a run short of his ninth century in his 39th Test after he was reprieved on 86 by the Decision Review System which is being used by India at home for the first time.
With opener Vijay for company, who was also close to reaching his own century, Pujara — not out after hitting 15 fours in 166 balls at tea — stitched a fighting 160—run stand to pilot the home team to an impressive 228 for one at the end of the second session. It was the sixth time that the duo has forged a 100—plus partnership.
At tea, Vijay was not out on 86, after a stay of 343 minutes, and India were 309 runs behind the England’s total on a track that has proved to be full of runs.
Both the batsmen were lucky to have survived the session, Pujara having been given a new lease of life by DRS and Vijay escaping being caught off Stuart Broad.
But in between they showed grit aplenty against some tight and probing bowling, especially from Broad and Chris Woakes to remain unconquered after batting for nearly the entire duration of two sessions.
They had come together at the fall of opener Gautam Gambhir off the first ball of the second over today morning when India were on 68, having added just five to their overnight score.
Vijay, who survived a leg before the wicket shout in the last over before lunch against Adil Rashid, continued to find the leg spinner a difficult proposition post lunch.
With first Woakes and then Broad, who bowled a spell of 5—4—1—0, strangling the scoring rate at the other end, Vijay added just 7 runs in 49 balls.
He was also distinctly lucky to be grassed by debutant Haseeb Hameed off Broad at short covers when on 66. It was a drive on the up by Vijay but Hameed could not latch on to the ball after diving full length to his left.
Pujara, at the other end, batted much more fluently but was also stifled by the England bowlers as just 33 overs came in 15 overs.
The duo also raised a century partnership during this period of play for the second wicket in 129 minutes and 175 balls.
Pujara was more assured of the two against Rashid.
In the first session the duo added 94 runs after coming together at the fall of Gambhir’s wicket in the second over of the day when the score read 68.
They both completed their half centuries and Pujara had overtaken his second wicket partner before the break with positive stroke—play while the latter opened out to smack left arm spinner Zafar Ansari for a couple of sixes over long on.
The Decision Review System, riled all along by the Indian cricket board before they agreed to its usage in a home Test rubber for the first time, came to local star Pujara’s rescue half an hour before tea.
Umpire Chris Gaffaney upheld the appeal from the bowler Zafar Ansari after Pujara, on 86, was rapped on the back leg, playing down the wrong line while defending.
The two batsmen after a short consultation asked for DRS and the replayed ball—tracker system found the ball going just over the stumps to give Pujara and India a big reprieve much to the delight of the crowd that included his wife and father.
Earlier, the home team were 162 for one at lunch. Vijay was unconquered on 57 while Pujara was on 62.
The lone batsman to be dismissed before lunch was left—handed opener Gambhir, who fell in the second over to Broad, after which Vijay and Pujara held fort till the end of the second session.
Vijay and Gambhir had started well last evening to put on an unfinished half century stand, but the latter departed early today after adding just one to his overnight 28, to the seventh ball of the day.
The left—handed batsman, on a comeback trail after being in the wilderness for more than two years, was trapped right in front of the stumps by Broad with the first ball of his morning spell.
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