Dom Bess spins England into strong position in first Test against India

Home side face the follow-on as they trail tourists by 321 runs in their first innings with just four wickets remaining

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  Indian batsman Rishabh Pant in action during during Day 3 of the first Test against India at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 7. All images Sportzpics for BCCI

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  England appealing for a wicket.

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  Cheteshwar Pujara batting for India.

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  England celebrate after Dom Bess claimed the wicket of Rishabh Pant for 91.

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  Washington Sundar of India plays a shot. He finished day unbeaten on 33.

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  Dom Bess of England celebrates the wicket of Rishabh Pant.

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  Cheteshwar Pujara of India plays a shot.

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  India batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant.

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  England spinner Dom Bess celebrates the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara for 73.

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  Rishabh Pant batting for India.

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  Washington Sundar of India plays a shot.

India face having to follow-on against England after off-spinner Dom Bess ripped the heart out of their middle order to reduce them to 257-6 at the close on day three of the opening Test in Chennai on Sunday.

England had posted a mammoth 578 in their first innings before pace bowler Jofra Archer removed both India's openers to deny them a strong start to their reply.

Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara forged the only century-plus partnership of the innings but India still finished the day 321 behind.

Washington Sundar was unbeaten on 33 at stumps and Ravichandran Ashwin on eight with the hosts needing another 122 runs to avoid having to bat again if England enforce the follow-on.

"I think the most important thing is coming back, finishing off their first innings and seeing where they are at that point," Bess, who claimed 4-55, said.

"Obviously, they got these two who can certainly bat ... but we put ourselves in a great position."

Earlier, England's tail added 23 runs to their overnight score of 555-8.

On a slow track that offered little carry, Archer generated extra bounce to dismiss Rohit Sharma, caught behind for six.

Fellow opener Shubman Gill struck five boundaries exquisitely, scoring his 29 at a run-a-ball rate, before a superb piece of athleticism from James Anderson cut short his stay.

Stationed at mid-on, Anderson dived to his left to take a brilliant catch after Gill had spooned the ball attempting an on-drive off Archer.

Bess then delivered a two-wicket burst which included the prize scalp of Virat Kohli.

The spinner drew India's captain forward with a flighted delivery and Ollie Pope, at short leg, took a sharp catch to dismiss the batsman for 11.

"I was trying to land it on a spot and build pressure for a long time and I guess the dismissal of Kohli just happened," Bess said.

"I wasn't trying to bowl a magic ball and I just wanted to make sure my line and length weren't missing and I was just hitting the box. It just went a little bit more than the rest."

In Bess's next over, Joe Root came up with an even better catch, throwing himself to his left at cover to send back Ajinkya Rahane.

Pujara and Pant, in their contrasting styles, combined in a 119-run partnership to halt the slide.

The focused Pujara made a patient 73 as Pant counter-attacked, bringing up his 50 in 40 balls.

Pujara fell in bizarre manner, pulling Bess towards short leg where Pope ducked and the ball bounced off his shoulder and ballooned to Rory Burns at short mid-wicket.

Pant smashed five sixes in his belligerent 91, all off Jack Leach, who eventually had a hand in his dismissal.

Nearing his century, Pant advanced down the track to Bess and holed out to Leach in the deep.

"The first session tomorrow is very crucial, we'll like to bat long as possible," Pujara said. "There's a little bit of spin now, but it's still a good pitch to bat on.

"We back our tailenders to bat well in these conditions. There's still a lot to play for and we just want to get as close to that total as possible."