Thanks to the improved performances of the top-order batsmen, Team India on Friday (August 27) kept their hopes alive in the ongoing third Test against England at Headingley.
The visitors were bowled out for a paltry 78 on the opening day and then went on to concede a massive first-innings lead of 354 runs.
Batting in the second innings, India lost the in-form KL Rahul (8) cheaply but the trio of Rohit Sharma (59), Cheteshwar Pujara (91*) and Virat Kohli (45*) batted brilliantly to take the team to 215/2 at stumps on Day 3, still 139 runs behind the hosts.
Following the day’s play, England pacer Craig Overton addressed a virtual press conference and said the first hour's play on the fourth day is going to be "massive".
"Ideally, we would have got three or four, you only need a couple more for the bowlers. We are still in a good position in the game at the moment," Overton told mediapersons.
"It obviously was frustrating for us, but we got to make sure that we get early breakthroughs. The first hour's play would be massive."
Struggling for runs in the ongoing England tour, India skipper Kohli batted with a degree of confidence in the second innings at Headingley as he shared an unbeaten 99-run stand with Pujara.
"He (Kohli) is one of the characters who likes to get going. As a side, we were just trying to make sure that we do our business as well as we can, not ignore him but making sure that we stick to our basics of what we do well as a side," Overton said of their strategy against the Indian skipper.
Having registered scores 4, 12*, 9 and 45 in the first two Tests, Pujara was under the scanner heading into the Leeds Test and the right-hander also silenced his critics with a classy knock.
Before stitching the unbroken stand with Kohli, Pujara forged an 82-run partnership for the second wicket with Rohit.
Asked about the pitch that has eased out considerably, Overton said, "We know it's going to be tricky. Credit to them they played really well. You always like to get a few more. I think we bowled better than what the two wickets suggest, but they also played well, that's what they're entitled to do so."
(With PTI inputs)
