Leeds [UK], June 23 : Historic centuries from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant helped India reassert their dominance over England, with the visitors increasing their lead against the hosts to 304 runs at the end of the second session on the fourth day of the first Test at Leeds.
At Tea, India were 298/4, with KL Rahul (120*) and Karun Nair (4*) unbeaten. Pant scored 118 runs in the second innings, his second ton in the match, and consolidated the innings with a crucial 195-run partnership with KL Rahul.
India started the second session at 153/3, with Pant (31*) and KL (72*) unbeaten.
During this session, India displayed a much more positive intent, with Pant smashing two fours off Josh Tongue, while KL got two boundaries against Shoaib Bashir.
Pant reached his half-century in 83 balls, with eight fours and liberated himself further with two sixes against Bashir. India reached the 200-run mark in 57.4 overs.
The duo reached their century stand in 193 balls.
Pant and Rahul collected boundaries against pace and spin alike, with Pant displaying the ruthlessness India needed after a low-scoring first session.
Rahul got to his ninth Test hundred and third in England, in 202 balls, with 13 fours. After a first innings knock of 42, he was finally able to get a big score.
A pull shot on a Brydon Carse delivery in the 65th over by Rahul took India to 250-run mark in 64.1 overs.
The 71st over by Joe Root proved to be a massive one for India as Pant hit him for two fours and a six, collecting 19 runs in total. He reached his eighth Test ton in 130 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes. This was the first time that a designated Indian wicketkeeper-batter hit twin centuries in a Test.
The fun was finally over as Bashir got the last laugh over Pant, with Zak Crawley plucking a catch at wide long-on. Pant was gone for 118 in 140 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes. India was 287/4, with the 195-run partnership between the duo over.
Rahul and Karun Nair took India to the end of the session without any further loss.
India ended the first session at 153/3, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant (31*) and KL Rahul (72*) unbeaten.
Despite Carse striking early, removing Shubman for just eight and sinking India to 92/3, Team India managed to give themselves a solid platform to go all guns out blazing for the remainder of the match, but not without giving England some chances.
The final session on day three was cut short due to rain.
Rahul was joined by skipper Shubman Gill, who was unbeaten on 6*. India ended at 90/2.
England started the second session at 327/5, with Harry Brook (57*) and Jamie Smith (29*) unbeaten. Brook continued his counter-attack, while Smith (40 in 52 balls, with five fours and a six), Chris Woakes (38 in 55 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Brydon Cwefarse (22 in 23 balls, with four boundaries) also piled up useful scores.
Brook missed out on his century, scoring 99 in 112 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes, with Prasidh Krishna getting him caught by Shardul Thakur at deep backwards square leg. A 55-run stand between Woakes and Carse took England past the 400-run mark, and they threatened to surpass India's first innings total before Jasprit Bumrah came in clutch.
Bumrah (5/83) and Prasidh Krishna (3/128) were the top bowlers as England was bowled out for 465.
England kickstarted the first session of the day at 209/3, with Ollie Pope (100*) and Brook (0*) unbeaten. While Prasidh struck early to remove Pope (106 in 137 balls, with 14 fours), Brook stitched a 51-run stand with skipper Ben Stokes (20 in 52 balls) and a 73-run stand with Smith, taking England well beyond the 300-run mark at session end. A century by Ollie Pope (106 in 137 balls, with 14 fours) and fifty from Ben Duckett (62 in 94 balls, with nine fours) on day two served as valuable contributions as well.
Brief Scores: England: 465 (OIlie Pope 106, Harry Brook 99, Jasprit Bumrah 5/83) vs India: 471 and 298/4: KL Rahul 120*, Rishabh Pant 118, Brydon Carse 2/62).