In the ongoing India vs England 1^st Test at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai, the hosts were definitely being termed as the overwhelming favourites, atleast before the start of the game after their heroics in Australia, but the visiting England team has certainly been front-runners in this contest so far both with the bat and ball. On the back of a scintillating double ton from captain Joe Root and half-centuries each from Ben Stokes and Dominic Sibley, England posted a massive first innings total of 578 runs. In the first session on Day 3, England added 23 runs to their overnight score before Jofra Archer dismissed both the Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill to reduce the home team to 44 for 2.

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Joe Root takes a blinder to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane

Even after losing two crucial wickets before lunch on Day 3, Team India were looking in a good position with two of their experienced batters in skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease. However, just when things were looking okay for the home team, England off-spinner Dominic Bess plucked out the prized scalp of Virat Kohli in a classical fashion. Then after the big wicket of the Indian captain, Joe Root took an absolute stunning catch diving with his left hand to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane and helped Bess claim two crucial wickets in back-to-back overs. Rahane was looking to guide the full toss from Bess in the cover region but the England captain certainly came in way to leave the hosts in complete tatters at 73 for 4.

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Will India be able to avoid the follow-on?

After losing four top-order wickets quite early in the first innings on Day 3, it will certainly be stern test for India to cross that mammoth looking mark of 378 runs in order to avoid the follow-on. Pujara is currently looking very comfortable at the crease and with players like Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin, India surely has some batting to come. On the other hand, England bowler duo of Jofra Archer and Dom Bess have bowled really well and as the game goes on, the other three bowlers in Jack Leach, James Anderson and Ben Stokes will also be hoping to do well.

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