Joe Root will have to play one of the best Test match innings of his career if England are to make a game of it in this third Test match. India dominated day three to put England in big trouble in Mohali.
Day 4 will need to be about Root and the remaining England batsmen batting around him for as long as possible. Considering the wicket in Mohali is still quite flat, it is not impossible to imagine England batting out an entire day, despite already losing four wickets, even if it remains unlikely.
Apart from Root, all the other major England batsmen are out, with Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes falling to the mastery of R Ashwin. Jayant Yadav picked up Jonny Bairstow, England's top scorer in the first innings, leaving Root to bat with Jos Buttler, the competent lower order and the injured Haseeb Hameed.
Third Test talking points HERE
Even if Root stays steady at one end, the pressure the India bowlers are likely to exert on the batsmen at the other end should be too much. There will be phases where a partnership is built, but eventually, it does look like India will find a way through, with the question being how makeable the target for the home team in the second innings will be, if indeed there will be one at all.
After England struggled to extract anything from the flat pitch on day three, the India spinners, with their flight, changes of pace and ability to bamboozle the batsmen in the air, overwhelmed the England top order, leaving the away side on 78/4, with the deficit still at 56 runs.
Root is still at the crease on 36, and has looked pretty comfortable out in the middle, but to expect the England vice-captain to save England from this position might be too much even for the right-hander. Knowing Root, though, he will relish the chance of saving England, and if he does, it will surely go down as one of his greatest knocks.
Where to Watch Live
India: TV: Star Sports HD1, Star Sports HD3, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 3. Live Streaming: Hotstar.
UK: TV: Sky Sports 2. Live Streaming: Watch Sky Sports and Sky Go.
New Zealand: TV: Sky Sport 2. Live Streaming: Sky Go NZ.
Australia: TV: Fox Sports 1. Live Streaming: Foxtel.
Canada, US: TV: Willow TV. Live Streaming: Willow TV Online.
Middle East: TV: OSN Sports Cricket. Live Streaming: OSN Cricket Live.
