Pant-Pujara in rescue act after top order collapse hits India

Rishabh Pant's flair and Cheteshwar Pujara's doggedness came to India's rescue after a top-order collapse as side reached 154/4 at tea in reply to England's ermous first innings total of 578 on third day of opening Test here on Sunday.

Pujara (53) and Pant (54), heroes of India's remarkable Brisbane Test triumph in recent tour of Australia, combined to keep India afloat with a partnership 81 runs in 14.3 overs so far.

home team still trails England by 424 runs.

For England, off-spinner Dom Bess struck twice in of two overs to give visitors upper hand. First, he h Virat Kohli (4) edge a delivery, which turned and bounced, for Ollie Pope to take a sharp catch at forward short-leg.

In his next over, Ajinkya Rahane (1) stepped out to hit a full toss which was dipping, leaving Joe Root to pull off a stunning one-handed catch in short cover region.

Pant, who walked in at fall of Rahane's wicket, played in his inimitable style and took attack to English bowlers.

After a cautious beginning, he went after Jack Leach and tonked four sixes and reached his half-century in 40 balls. He also smacked four boundaries.

Pujara, on or hand, was his usual watchful self, but played some lovely shots off spinners, skipping down track at times.

Earlier, pacer Jofra Archer h helped consolidate England's position, removing both openers as India went to lunch at 59 for 2 in reply to hosts' mammoth score.

home team lost opener Rohit Sharma (6) early, edging one to Jos Buttler after Archer got ball to move a she along with extra bounce.

India suffered a second jolt when promising Shubman Gill (29) was brilliantly caught by veteran James Anderson at mid-on when he failed to keep on-drive down.

Earlier, England posted a mammoth 578 in ir first innings, losing last two wickets in morning session after ding 23 runs to ir overnight score.

Bess (34) was first to go, trapped leg before by Jasprit Bumrah with one that angled in sharply.

After that Jack Leach (14 t out) and .11 James Anderson (1) prolonged England innings by five more overs before latter was bowled when he failed to connect a slog-sweep off Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ashwin, who bowled 55.1 overs, most by him in an innings so far, finished with 3 for 146 for his efforts while Bumrah also ended up with three wickets for 84 runs from his 36 overs.

Ishant Sharma (2/52) and Shahbaz Neem (2/167) took two wickets each. Root's marathon 218-run kck was cornerstone of England's massive total on a docile pitch after visitors opted to bat on winning toss.