TOI Sports looks back at the key passages of play from day four of the Rajkot Test between India and England.
Kohli hit-wicketLegspinner Adil Rashid was in a middle of a beautiful spell managing to extract enough turn and bounce to trouble
Virat Kohli who was batting on 40. On one occasion Kohli was cramped for room by the extra bounce Rashid managed when he bowled a short ball. He went back for the pull, but his back leg clipped the stumps and he was adjudged out hit-wicket. Kohli's departure for 40 with India at 361 for six and trailing England by 176 runs meant that India were not in a position to dictate the proceedings. He also became the 22nd Indian batsman to be out in this manner in Tests. This was Kohli's second such dismissal after being hit-wicket an ODI against England in Cardiff in 2011.
ALSO READ: Advantage England after taking 163-run lead over IndiaSaha-Ashwin bail out India That India's lower-order has put in a good performance with the bat in times owes majorly to the successful association between Wriddhiman Saha and
Ravichandran Ashwin down the order. Ashwin and Saha combined well for a 64-run stand as they blunted the England attack and helped India inch closer to England's first innings total. This partnership ensured England lost the initiative to force a result. Ashwin was resolute in defence and rotated the strike well with Saha. But after the lunch break, Saha departed for 35 - chasing a wide delivery from
Moeen Ali and edging it to wicketkeeper
Jonny Bairstow.
Ashwin continues to shine with the batIf it was not for Ravichandran Ashwin's valiant 139-ball 70-run knock, England would have had a lead of over 100 runs and a definite advantage in the Test match. Ashwin showed great temperament to hang in there in the middle. Despite the departure of Saha, Ashwin continued on and with the help of handy partnerships with
Umesh Yadav (10) and Mohammed Shami (29) reached his 11th Test fifty.
Cook-Hameed take England to safety England openers
Alastair Cook (46*) and Haseeb Hameed (62*) showed intent in their second essay to score at a brisk pace, taking the game away from India. Indian spinners did produce some anxious moments that saw Ashwin and
Ravindra Jadeja finding the extra bounce and sharp turn but the England duo managed to negotiate that tough period. Once they got their eye in, runs came at will. Debutant Hameed showed why he was called up to the England setup this early in his career. He was calm, composed and showed fantastic skills against the spinners. He was silken through offside and managed to rotate the strike well and went to become the third youngest half-centurion for England in Tests. Cook, at the other end, was perseverance personified.