The Prague Post - England check India's progress despite Rahul century in third Test

India were poised to bat through Saturday's morning session without losing a wicket.

But in the last over before lunch, Rishabh Pant was run out for a typically dynamic 74 by England captain Ben Stokes's direct hit as he tried to get Rahul, 98 not out at the interval, back on strike to complete his century before the break.

Rahul did get to a hundred, his second century in a Test at Lord's, but was out edging off-spinner Shoaib Bashir to slip off the next ball he faced.

India still reached tea on 316-5, just 71 runs behind England's first-innings 387 featuring a century from star batsman Joe Root.

Ravindra Jadeja was 40 not out and Nitish Kumar Reddy unbeaten on 25.

Jadeja, however, was reprieved on 23 when Bashir was unable to hold a difficult, low return catch off a fierce drive.

There was a worrying moment for India when Reddy, on 24, was floored by an 88 mph bouncer from Stokes that reared off the pitch and seamed back into the grille of his helmet, defeating the batsman's attempted to sway out of the way.

But, following a concussion check, Reddy was passed fit to bat on.

India scored 103-1 off 22.3 overs in the morning session, but only managed 91-1 in 25.3 overs between lunch and tea as the match head towards a second-innings shoot-out.

On another hot and energy-sapping day at Lord's, India resumed on 145-3.

Rahul was 53 not out with wicketkeeper Pant, off the field for much of England's innings following a finger injury, unbeaten on 19.

There had been joyous scenes at Lord's on Friday when Jofra Archer marked his return to Test cricket following more than four years of injury-induced exile with a third-ball dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal.

But Archer's first ball Saturday was glanced fine for four by left-hander Pant as the express fast bowler strayed in line.

Three balls later, Pant carved Archer over the infield as he flayed an 87 mph delivery on a good length in front of square for four.

Rahul then drove first-change Brydon Carse for four and later glanced, square-cut and clipped the fast bowler for three more elegant boundaries in successive deliveries.

Pant who scored twin hundreds in India's defeat in the first Test and a quickfire 65 in a series-levelling win at Edgbaston, completed a 55-ball fifty in style by hooking all-rounder Stokes for six.

India were in complete command until Pant's rush of blood saw him run out by Stokes's direct hit on the stumps from cover-point.

Pant's exit ended a fourth-wicket stand of 141 with Rahul after they had come together with India faltering at 107-3.

After lunch, Rahul's quick single saw him to a 176-ball hundred, including 13 fours -- his 10th century in 61 Tests and second at Lord's after the 33-year-old's 129 in 2021.

But Rahul's next ball proved his undoing when, pushing forward to a well-flighted Bashir delivery, he edged a simple catch to Harry Brook at slip, with India then 254-5.

The five-match series is tied at 1-1.

A.Slezak--TPP