Rahul and Pant are the two most experienced members of the new-look India top order and they needed all of their nous to guide their team into the ascendancy.
They played contrasting roles in their stand of 195. Rahul, with orthodoxy, showed sound judgement and solid defence. When England over-pitched, he played his trademark cover drives.
Pant battled with himself. There were a number of occasions early in his stay when a swipe, dance or attempted scoop could have been his undoing. He chastised himself and settled into a disciplined innings.
England’s chances came either side of lunch. Only after Pant reached 50 did he begin to open his shoulders. Bashir, England’s least-threatening bowler, was belted for two straight sixes in the same over.
Rahul took 202 deliveries to reach three figures, Pant watchfully took 22 balls for his final five runs in the 90s, yet still had a century in 130. Unlike the first innings, there was no sommersault to celebrate.
He eventually holed out off Bashir, opening an end for England with the second new ball. Rahul dragged on off Carse and Karun Nair pushed a return catch to Chris Woakes, but India were still on course for a lead in excess of 400. Enter Tongue.
Charging down the slope, he had Shardul Thakur edge to slip and, next ball, Mohammed Siraj could only glove a vicious bouncer behind. Bumrah survived the hat-trick ball then lost his middle stump trying to slog the next.
The lead when the ninth wicket fell was 355. It said everything about India’s opinion of their advantage that Ravindra Jadeja farmed the strike from number 11 Prasidh Krishna, eking out runs and eating up time before Krishna was well held by a tumbling Tongue at deep mid-wicket off Bashir.
England were left just under half an hour to bat. Zak Crawley, on 12, and Ben Duckett, with nine, came through with confidence and purpose. What a Test match.
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