Kohli, Ashwin help India tighten grip on Vizag Test

Skipper Virat Kohli produced yet another brilliant knock as India tightened its grip in second Test of the five-match series against England here at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

After bowling out England for 255 in the second session of the day, India had a rocky start in their second innings losing both the openers at the score of 17 only.

First inning's centurions Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara then tried to build up a partnership before the latter was bowled by an beautiful inswinger off James Anderson at the score of 40.

At Stumps of Day Three, Kohli (56*) and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (22*) helped the host stretch their lead to 298.

Earlier, resuming the day at 103-5, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow struck defiant half-centuries to irritate the Indian bowlers. Both the batsmen added 110 runs for the sixth wicket.

After a dogged resistance engineered by Stokes (70) and Bairstow (53), England were set on the road to recovery before Umesh Yadav ended the century stand and then ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin wiped off the tail, finishing with 5/67.

On Day Four, India would look to stretch the lead the take the game from England's reach and apply all the pressure to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.