"Unbelievable… running away from No. 3." That's how England skipper Joe Root was greeted on his arrival to the crease by his rival captain Virat Kohli. The Indian captain's words could be clearly heard over the stump microphone. Root had demoted himself to No.4 and the Indian skipper knew that his counterpart was under pressure. By stumps, however, it was Root who was the more satisfied captain as England mounted a sizeable lead of 233. At stumps on Day Three here, the hosts were 260 for eight.

On a pitch that already had prominent footmarks, it was R Ashwin that was supposed to cause havoc, but instead, it was once again the Indian seamers who made the early inroads. Alistair Cook edged one to slip, Moeen Ali, promoted to three went in the same manner to leave England 33-2.