MOHALI: Indian bowlers rocked the England top order, including the wicket of skipper Alastair Cook, to push the visitors onto the back foot in the opening session of the third Test in Mohali on Saturday.
The visitors, who trail the five-match series 1-0, were 92 for four at lunch with Jonny Bairstow on 20 and Ben Stokes on five at the crease after electing to bat first.
Cook failed to capitalise on two dropped chances as he was out for 27, leaving the visitors reeling at 51 for three at one stage.
Cook survived an early reprieve on three at third slip when Ravindra Jadeja could not cling on to a flier off the batsman's bat as a disappointed Mohammed Shami looked on.
Just when it seemed the left-right opening combine of Cook and Haseeb Hameed would survive a lively initial burst from the Indian quicks, Umesh Yadav struck in the 10th over of the day.
Yadav got Hameed for nine on a delivery that kicked off the pitch and got the batsman's glove as the ball lobbed into the waiting hands of Ajinkya Rahane at gully.
Cook was given his second life on 23 when Ravichandran Ashwin dropped a sitter at midwicket with Shami once again being the unlucky bowler.
Skipper Virat Kohli introduced spin in the 13th over and Jayant Yadav, who made an impressive debut in Visakhapatnam with three wickets in the second innings, soon got going with the wicket of Joe Root for 15.
Ashwin, who had a horror day on the field so far with a fielding slip at mid-off after the dropped catch, made up for the spills following the big wicket of Cook.
Cook, who was looking to pilot the innings with some positive stroke play, was caught behind after trying to cut a widish delivery on the off side.
Ali and Bairstow then put on 36 runs for the fourth wicket before Shami finally put his name in the wicket-takers list 10 minutes before the break.
Shami got Ali trudging back to the pavilion for 16 to put the visitors under tremendous pressure in the first two hours of play.
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