Mumbai Test: Vijay, Kohli's brilliance reduce lead to 39 runs

Mumbai: After a promising hundred by opener Murli Vijay against England, skipper Virat Kohli came to India's rescue with an unbeaten 94-run innings that did the damage repair caused due to a middle-order collapse in Mumbai Test, being played at Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.

India started Day 3 at 146/1 with Vijay (70*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (47*) at the crease, but the latter departed early without adding a single run to his overnight score.

Kohli came to the crease and added 116 runs with Vijay for the third wicket. India landed in trouble when Vijay got out after scoring 136 runs off 282 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes. He was followed by Karun Nair (13), Parthiv Patel (15) and Ravichandran Ashwin (0) to the pavilion in quick successions.

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India lost their four wickets for 45 runs in the middle. Ravindra Jadeja, however, eased pressure from skipper Kohli by scoring quick 24 runs off 28 balls with 2 fours and 1 six.

England's middle-order batsman Joe Root gave a helping hand to English spinners as he plucked two wickets (Patel & Ashwin) in quick time. Adil Rashid took the crucial wicket of Vijay by catching him of his own bowling, but dropped a similar chance given by Virat Kohli.

Moeen Ali bagged the wicket of Karun Nair lifting his tally to 2/118 in the match. Jake Ball bagged the wicket of Pujara in the beginning of Day 3.

Currently, India (361/6 in 116 overs) trail England by 39 runs with 4 wickets remaining and Kohli (94) and Jadeja (24) batting at the crease.

In the fourth of the five-Test series, India leads England 2-0.