Mohali, Nov 28 (CRICKETNMORE): India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led from the front, claiming three wickets to reduce England to 78\/4 at stumps on day three of the third Test at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) I.S. Bindra Stadium here on Monday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After conceding a 134-run lead in the first innings, England lost their top order -- skipper Alastair Cook (12), Moeen Ali (5), Jonny Bairstow (15) and Ben Stokes (5) -- in quick succession, to still trail by 56 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Joe Root, who opened the innings in place of injured Haseeb Hameed, was unbeaten on 36 along with night-watchman Gareth Batty (0) when the umpires removed the bails for the night.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Coming out to bat in the post-tea session after bundling India out for 417 in their first innings, England found the going tough on a pitch which gradually came to the Indian spinners' assistance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Trailing by 134 runs, Cook with make-shift opener Root batted cautiously for the initial few overs but the southpaw's 49-ball stay was soon ended by Ashwin, who managed to break through his defence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cook's wicket brought in Moeen Ali, whose struggle with the willow continued as Ashwin bamboozled him with a flighted delivery -- and fellow offie Jayant Yadav pouched him with ease at mid-on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Struggling at 39\/2, England promoted Jonny Bairstow to No.4 for the first time in his career but the stumper too departed after forging a brief 31-run third-wicket stand with Root.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bairstow's wicket belonged more to wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, who took a brilliant low catch off Jayant, when the English right-hander went back into the crease only to end up nicking it behind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ashwin then returned to take the wicket of danger-man Ben Stokes, who found himself squared up by a delivery pitched on the off and middle stump.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The controversial Decision Review System (DRS) came to India's rescue by ruling Stokes out after the on-field umpire was not convinced by Ashwin's call for a leg-before as the visitors found themselves tottering at 78\/4, still 56 runs behind the host's first innings score.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England's woes seemed to get worsened with opener Haseeb Hameed still nursing a hand injury and it will be interesting to see whether the 19-year-old right-hander will come out to bat on the penultimate day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, riding on late-order heroics of all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (90), Ashwin (72) and Jayant Yadav (55), India managed to cross the psychological barrier of 400 and added 17 more runs in their first essay.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jadeja produced his career-best Test score while Jayant notched his maiden Test half century to pull India to a sizeable lead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Resuming the second session at 354\/7, Jadeja and Jayant continued their good touch until the Saurashtra batsman was dismissed by leg-spinner Adil Rashid in the 124th over. His 170-ball knock was laced with 10 boundaries and one six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The fall of Jadeja's wicket brought in Umesh Yadav (12), who along with Jayant forged a crucial 33-run partnership for the ninth wicket before Jayant was sent back to the pavilion by pacer Ben Strokes (5\/73).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Umesh and Mohammad Shami (1 not out) managed to add only three runs to the total before India were packed off to the pavilion. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, India scored 84 runs from 30 overs in the morning session of the play losing the lone wicket of Ashwin (72).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For England, pacer Ben Strokes scalped five wickets for 73 to become their most successful bowler followed by leggie Adil Rashid (4\/118).<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2016\/11\/indian-cricket-team59.jpg", "alt_img": "India vs England Image", "alt_title": "India vs England", "image1": "", "video": "", "seo_title": "Mohali Test: Ashwin's three strikes put England on backfoot ", "seo_desc": "Mohali Test: Ashwin's three strikes put England on backfoot Mohali, Nov 28 (CRICKETNMORE): India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led from the fron", "seo_keywords": "India vs England, Punjab Cricket Association", "tag": "", "tagging": "", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "0", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": "0", "slug": "third-test-ashwin-s-three-strikes-put-england-on-backfoot-", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": "0000-00-00", "ians_time": "00:00:00", "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "trash": "0", "view_count": "5568", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "0", "auto_link": "0", "created": "2016-11-28 22:43:00", "updated": "2016-11-28 22:43:00", "img_from": "", "img_source": "", "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "news_keywords": null, "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "1", "jio_date": "2016-11-28 22:43:00", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2016-11-28 22:43:00", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/third-test-ashwin-s-three-strikes-put-england-on-backfoot-21580" }