In contrast to Moeen Ali's five-wicket haul, Ashwin struggled to get going on Saturday and finished with 1-78 in 35 overs despite his good bowling form earlier in the series.

Pujara's innings and his last-wicket stand of 46 runs with Jasprit Bumrah (6) have virtually made the encounter at Rose Bowl a game of second innings.

Cheteshwar Pujara scored 72 runs and added 113 runs with skipper Virat Kohli as India piled on 352/7 (decl) and set an imposing 521-run target for England to win the third Test.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli led India's charge and took them to 124/2 at stumps, with a lead of 292 runs on the second day of the third Test at Trent Bridge.

Anderson took his 27th Test five-wicket haul, picking 5/20, as India were bowled out for 107 runs with rain intervening thrice during this innings.

Former fast bowler Ashish Nehra also echoed with Gavaskar's thoughts and said that Dhawan should get a long rope. Dhawan was dropped as Cheteshwar Puajara was brought in for the 2nd Test.

Dropping Cheteshwar Pujara from the 1st Test in Birmingham brought Kohli plenty of flak and with them losing the match, the onslaught turned worse.

Rahul was selected in the playing XI in the place of Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara who was dropped after performing poorly in the practice game.

The opener was trolled on social media after bagging a pair in the practice match against Essex.

Ahead of the opening Test starting in Birmingham on Wednesday, he also said that as per the skill-set, both teams are at par.

While former India captain outrightly excluded Dhawan from his playing eleven for the first Test, Sehwag still sees some hope in the left-handed batsman.

Kohli, Vijay, Rahul scored their respective fifties to help India build momentum and it was Dinesh Karthik who leads the way for the visitors after the top order crumbled early on Day 1.

Since that ill-fated tour of England in 2014, Virat Kohli has confirmed his seat among the bests of the modern-day batsmen, and the 29-year-old will be desperate to remove the only thorn on his throne this time around.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly and former opener Virender Sehwag spoke on Kohli's performance in conditions where he failed miserably in 2014 and suggested a few strategies ahead of the team's tough outing.

But the more important fact‚ for South Africans‚ was that Steyn came through 50 overs of bowling in the match.

India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara feels he will get his Indian Premier League (IPL) contract in coming year, adding that he is hoping to make a comeback in One Day Internationals for the national side. 

After going unsold at the IPL auction, the 29-year-old pacer was signed by Sussex for the first two months of the English County season.

India Test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin slipped one place in the bowlers ranking to take the fifth position with 803 points, while Ravindra Jadeja held on to his second spot in the all-rounders ranking.

After being Ignored for the upcoming IPL, Cheteshwar Pujara will use the free period to hone his skills at Yorkshire for a second county stint.

After being ignored by all the top IPL franchises, the Saurashtra batsman has signed for Yorkshire to play in the upcoming County Championship in England before India's much-awaited England tour in July this year.